Sphaeralcea emoryi var. emoryi
Emory's globemallow
(c) Joe Decruyenaere, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Malvaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Sphaeralcea emoryi var. emoryi (Emory's globemallow) is a native California shrub in the Malvaceae family, recognized by large size and cordate leaf bases.
Emory's globemallow is a California native shrub found in southern California, southern Peninsular Ranges, southern Mojave Desert, and Sonoran Desert in fields and roadsides at elevations below 600 meters. Flowering from February to July, this plant produces red-orange to lavender flowers 10 to 12 millimeters long with yellow anthers. Growing with erect stems up to 2.1 meters tall and covered in coarse gray hair, it develops a distinctive subshrub form. Its gray-green leaves are ovate-triangular, 25 to 55 millimeters long, with three prominent veins and three distinct lobes, featuring a heart-shaped base and slightly truncate to acute tip. The fruit develops into 10 to 16 segments, each 4.5 to 5 millimeters long, containing one or two brown or black seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Co-occurs with 7 species; distinguished by large size and cordate leaf bases
Habitat and range
Habitat: Fields, roadsides
Elevation: < 600 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Imperial, Riverside, Orange, Kern, San Diego, Los Angeles
Outside California: Nevada, Arizona, Mexico
Bloom period
Sphaeralcea emoryi var. emoryi blooms Feb-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Malacothamnus: Sphaeralcea flowers face outward in open panicles; Malacothamnus flowers are tucked closer to stems in denser clusters.; vs Abutilon: Sphaeralcea has 1-3 small bracts (even if fallen); Abutilon completely lacks any bracts beneath flowers.; vs Malva: Sphaeralcea has salmon-orange flowers and net-veined fruit base; Malva has pink-purple flowers and smooth fruits throughout.; vs Hibiscus: Sphaeralcea has small flowers and inconspicuous bracts; Hibiscus has very large flowers and prominent persistent bracts.; vs Eriogonum: Sphaeralcea has typical mallow flowers with fused stamen column; Eriogonum has tiny flowers in heads with papery bracts.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sphaeralcea emoryi var. emoryi native to California?
Yes. Sphaeralcea emoryi var. emoryi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Sphaeralcea emoryi var. emoryi bloom?
Sphaeralcea emoryi var. emoryi blooms Feb-Jul.
Where in California does Sphaeralcea emoryi var. emoryi grow?
Sphaeralcea emoryi var. emoryi occurs in San Bernardino, Imperial, Riverside, Orange, Kern, San Diego, Los Angeles, at elevations of < 600 m.
What plant family does Sphaeralcea emoryi var. emoryi belong to?
Sphaeralcea emoryi var. emoryi is in the Malvaceae family, genus Sphaeralcea.
What habitat does Sphaeralcea emoryi var. emoryi grow in?
Sphaeralcea emoryi var. emoryi grows in Fields, roadsides.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.