Scarlet Globemallow
Sphaeralcea coccinea
- Native to:
- Canada, Mexico, United States
Hovenweep National Monument (www.flickr.com)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Malvaceae
- Genus:
- Sphaeralcea
- Species:
- Sphaeralcea coccinea
- USDA Symbol:
- SPCO
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Biennial | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Subshrub
- Height:
- 45 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- orange, red
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★★★★☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from deep taproot following fire; common in fire-maintained prairie and rangeland ecosystems.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- thrives in arid and semi-arid regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Scarification of hard seed coat improves germination. Seeds may germinate erratically without treatment.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds were plated on 1.5% agar in petri dishes and incubated in growth chambers using six temperature treatments intended to represent different seed sowing times and locations. Treatments included early-spring, winter and early-spring, mid-spring, winter and mid-spring, late-spring, winter and late-spring, each with and without scarification.
Establishment: The seeds were collected in a small lot, 2.3 pounds, hand collected into a paper bag. Additional research is needed to identify whether these results are representative of the entire species.
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Sow @ 20C. Germinates within 3 months. Requires scarification.