Malva multiflora
Cretan mallow
(c) Duarte Frade, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Duarte Frade · licence
Family: Malvaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Malva multiflora (Cretan mallow) is a non-native California herb in the Malvaceae family, recognized by tall annual habit and cross-ridged fruit backs.
Cretan mallow is a naturalized annual found in coastal central and southern California regions in disturbed places on coastal bluffs and dunes, occasionally inland, at elevations below 50 meters. Flowering throughout the year, this plant produces white to pale pink flowers with three dark veins, 1 to 1.6 centimeters long. Growing 1 to 3 meters tall with woody or non-woody bases, it has sparsely stellate hairy stems that spread across the landscape. Its leaves have blades 4 to 10 centimeters long, shallowly 5-lobed above, with crenate edges and bases ranging from truncate to slightly heart-shaped. The fruit consists of 7 to 10 segments that are generally cross-ridged and either glabrous or lightly puberulent.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Co-occurs with 8 species; distinguished by tall annual habit and cross-ridged fruit backs
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed places on coastal bluffs, dunes, occasionally inland
Elevation: < 50 m
California counties: Ventura, Orange, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Contra Costa, Alameda, San Francisco, Butte, San Joaquin, Santa Cruz, Sacramento, San Mateo, Marin, Monterey
Outside California: native to southern Europe
Bloom period
Malva multiflora blooms All year.
How to tell it apart
vs Pelargonium: Malva has symmetrical bowl-shaped flowers; Pelargonium has irregular flowers with two upper petals distinct from three lower.; vs Sidalcea: Malva has 3 bracts forming collar below flower; Sidalcea has no bract ring (or just 1-3 tiny bracts).; vs Hibiscus: Malva has small flowers with 3 bracts; Hibiscus has large showy flowers with many fused bracts.; vs Alcea: Malva has smaller flowers (<6 cm) with 3 bracts; Alcea has huge flowers (>6 cm) with 5-11 bracts.; vs Malvella: Malva is upright and green; Malvella is prostrate forming gray-fuzzy ground mats.
Frequently asked questions
Is Malva multiflora native to California?
No. Malva multiflora is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Malva multiflora bloom?
Malva multiflora blooms All year.
Where in California does Malva multiflora grow?
Malva multiflora occurs in Ventura, Orange, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, San Diego and other counties, at elevations of < 50 m.
What plant family does Malva multiflora belong to?
Malva multiflora is in the Malvaceae family, genus Malva.
What habitat does Malva multiflora grow in?
Malva multiflora grows in Disturbed places on coastal bluffs, dunes, occasionally inland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.