Guide to growing Desert Mallow - Sphaeralcea

Sphaeralcea are half hardy perennial sub-shrubs that range in height from 45cm to 1.8M.

They have lobed leaves and bloom in the summer with flowers that are reminiscent of hollyhock; Sphaeralcea flowers may be orange, red or purple.

Some of the common names for Sphaeralcea include Desert Mallow, Desert Hollyhock, Globe Mallow and Prairie Mallow.

How to grow Desert Mallow

When growing from seed it is best to sow members of the Sphaeralcea genus such as desert mallow outdoors from ripe seeds in the autumn. The desert mallow seeds should be sown at a depth of 7mm into a poor sandy soil that has a pH of 5 to 8). Sphaeralcea species like to grow in sunny location. It should take about two or three weeks for the seeds to germinate. If attempting to grow desert mallow in a greenhouse then supply a temperature of 18 to 21 degrees centigrade and transplant outdoors in spring or autumn. The spacing of Sphaeralcea depends on the species; large varieties should be spaced about a meter apart; whereas smaller Sphaeralcea can be spaced from 15 to 20cm apart.

Caring for desert mallow and other Sphaeralcea species

It is very easy to look after desert mallow, Globe Mallow and other Sphaeralcea species as they pretty much take care of themselves; however frequent watering will result in larger and healthier plants. If you require more plants then Sphaeralcea can be propagated by taking cuttings from soft wood in the summer or by dividing in the autumn.