Malva neglecta
Common mallow
(c) Anne Parker, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Anne Parker · licence
Family: Malvaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Malva neglecta (Common mallow) is a non-native California herb in the Malvaceae family.
Common mallow is a naturalized annual found in northern and central California in disturbed places at elevations below 3,000 meters. Flowering from May to October, this plant produces white to pale lilac flowers with delicate petals approximately twice the length of the calyx. Growing with prostrate to ascending stems 20 to 60 centimeters long that are generally hairy, it spreads low across the ground. Its leaves are roughly 1 to 6 centimeters wide, typically shallowly divided into 5 to 7 lobes with dentate-crenate edges. The fruit develops in distinctive segments, typically 12 to 15 in number, with smooth or slightly ridged surfaces.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated from all other Malva species
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed places
Elevation: < 3000 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Modoc, Siskiyou, Inyo, Lake, Tehama, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Riverside, Kern, San Diego, El Dorado, Mono, Lassen, Tulare, Plumas, Marin, Alpine, San Luis Obispo, Contra Costa, Shasta, Butte, Mariposa, Trinity, Alameda, Stanislaus, Glenn, Humboldt, Ventura, Nevada, Placer, Sierra, Yolo, Solano
Outside California: native to Eurasia
Bloom period
Malva neglecta blooms May-Oct.
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 neglecta native to California?
No. Malva neglecta is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Malva neglecta bloom?
Malva neglecta blooms May-Oct.
Where in California does Malva neglecta grow?
Malva neglecta occurs in San Bernardino, Modoc, Siskiyou, Inyo, Lake, Tehama, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and other counties, at elevations of < 3000 m.
What plant family does Malva neglecta belong to?
Malva neglecta is in the Malvaceae family, genus Malva.
What habitat does Malva neglecta grow in?
Malva neglecta grows in Disturbed places.
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.