Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Malvaceae

Genus:

Malvastrum

Species:

Malvastrum hispidum

USDA Symbol:

MAHI

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Annual

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

60 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may,jun,jul,aug,sep,oct

Bloom Colors:

yellow, orange

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Can resprout from root crown following fire; typical of disturbed, open habitats in the Southwest.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to arid and semi-arid regions

Propagation & Germination

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Notes:

Scarification of the hard seed coat improves germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI