Sphaeralcea orcuttii
Carrizo mallow
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Malvaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Sphaeralcea orcuttii (Carrizo mallow) is a native California subshrub in the Malvaceae family, recognized by distinctive yellow pubescence and hemispheric fruits.
Carrizo mallow is a California native annual found in southern desert regions of Sonora in dry, sandy, and slightly alkaline desert scrub at elevations of -20 to 900 meters. Flowering from February to September, this plant produces vibrant red-orange flowers 10 to 12 millimeters long with yellow anthers in raceme-like clusters. Growing with erect stems 50 to 120 centimeters tall and covered in fine yellow-canescent hairs, it has a distinctive yellow-green appearance. Its leaves are rounded to triangular, 30 to 50 millimeters long, with three prominent veins and slightly wavy edges, often with three distinct lobes. The fruit consists of 12 to 17 nearly hemispheric segments, each containing a single brown seed.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Co-occurs with 6 species; distinctive yellow pubescence and hemispheric fruits
Habitat and range
Habitat: Dry, sandy, +- alkaline desert scrub
Elevation: -20-900 m
Outside California: Arizona, Mexico
Bloom period
Sphaeralcea orcuttii blooms Feb-Sep.
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 orcuttii native to California?
Yes. Sphaeralcea orcuttii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Sphaeralcea orcuttii bloom?
Sphaeralcea orcuttii blooms Feb-Sep.
What plant family does Sphaeralcea orcuttii belong to?
Sphaeralcea orcuttii is in the Malvaceae family, genus Sphaeralcea.
What habitat does Sphaeralcea orcuttii grow in?
Sphaeralcea orcuttii grows in Dry, sandy, +- alkaline desert scrub.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Sphaeralcea rusbyi var. eremicola — Rusby's desert-mallow
- Sphaeralcea sp. — Globemallow
- Sphaeralcea ambigua — Apricot mallow
- Sphaeralcea ambigua var. ambigua — Apricot mallow
- Sphaeralcea ambigua var. rosacea — Parish mallow
- Sphaeralcea ambigua var. rugosa — Roughleaf apricot mallow
- Abutilon abutiloides — Shrubby abutilon
- Abutilon grandifolium — Hairy abutilon
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.