# Turk's cap (*Malvaviscus arboreus*) Turk's cap is a beautiful flower that looks like a little red hat! It grows in warm places and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, making gardens colorful and lively. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** Red mallow, Turk's cap hibiscus ![Turk's cap](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Starr_080716-9482_Malvaviscus_arboreus.jpg&width=800) Photo: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Starr_080716-9482_Malvaviscus_arboreus.jpg) ## Appearance The Turk's cap has vibrant, scarlet-red flowers that never fully open, resembling a miniature Turkish turban. Its crinkled petals stay tightly furled, making it visually distinct from its fully-blooming hibiscus relatives. Lush, dark green, somewhat lobed leaves provide a verdant backdrop. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Malvales - **Family:** Malvaceae - **Genus:** Malvaviscus ## Interesting facts - Its scientific name, Malvaviscus, means 'sticky mallow', perhaps for its sap! - The bright red blooms are like a welcome sign, especially for busy hummingbirds! - Wow! Its flowers never fully open, always keeping their unique 'turban' shape! - You can sometimes find a tiny, ripe, apple-like fruit hidden within its unfurled flower! ## Special abilities - **Hummingbird Magnet:** Turk's cap has bright red, tubular flowers that perfectly fit hummingbird beaks, attracting them for pollination and ensuring its reproduction. - **Desert Survivor:** Turk's cap can thrive in dry, hot conditions thanks to its tough leaves and roots, helping it survive harsh environments. - **Snack Supplier:** Turk's cap has edible flowers and leaves, offering a nutritious food source for various animals and even humans. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-300 cm - **Spread:** 100-200 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer to Fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Bird ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Ruby-throated Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ruby-throated-hummingbird) (*Archilochus colubris*) — sips nectar from its unique flowers - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses on its leaves and tender stems - **Depends on:** [Common Buckeye](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-buckeye) (*Junonia coenia*) — larvae feed on its foliage ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Tube Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tube-flower): A tube flower has petals fused together at the base, forming a distinct tubular structure that typically holds nectar deep within. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always ask an adult before picking flowers and be gentle with plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Turk's cap? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Turk's cap? 100-300 cm ### How wide does Turk's cap spread? 100-200 cm ### How big are the flowers on Turk's cap? 2-5 cm ### When does Turk's cap bloom? Summer to Fall ### Is Turk's cap edible? Yes ### Is Turk's cap toxic? None ### What is Turk's cap's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Congress Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/congress-avenue-historic-district) — Texas, US · Historic District - [San Antonio Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/san-antonio-zoo) — Texas, US · Zoo - [Africatown](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/africatown) — Alabama, US · Neighborhood - [Gruene](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gruene) — Texas, US · Historic District - [King William Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/king-william-historic-district) — Texas, US · Historic District - [Natchitoches Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/natchitoches-historic-district) — Louisiana, US · Historic District [View all places to see Turk's cap](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/turks-cap) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Turk's cap: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/turks-cap)