Sphaeralcea parvifolia A.Nelson

Species Nomenclature

Sphaeralcea parvifolia, also known as small-leaf globemallow, is a perennial plant.

Stem Height

Its stems grow upright, reaching a maximum height of 1 meter (3.3 ft), though they more commonly grow between 15 and 40 centimeters (6 and 16 in) tall.

Caudex Structure

Stems emerge from a branched, slightly woody underground structure called a caudex.

Stem Surface

The stem surface is covered in short, fine hairs that range in color from white to yellow.

Leaf Shape

The leaves of this species are typically ovate (egg-shaped), with their widest point between the leaf midpoint and base. They may also be nearly circular, kidney-shaped, or intermediate between heart-shaped and egg-shaped.

Leaf Margins

Leaf margins can be smooth, or bear three to five shallow lobes.

Leaf Size and Color

Leaf color ranges from gray to green, and leaves measure 1 to 5.5 centimeters long and 1.2 to 5.2 centimeters wide.

Leaf Phenology

Leaves emerge in spring and die back in summer to help the plant conserve water; the stems do very little photosynthesis.

Geographic Range

Sphaeralcea parvifolia grows across much of the Four Corners region of the United States, extending west to the Sierra Nevada. It is found throughout Nevada, across most of Utah and Arizona, and in western Colorado and western New Mexico.

Introduced Population

It also occurs in Idaho, where Plants of the World Online lists it as an introduced species.

Population Abundance

It grows in especially high abundance in north-central and northern Arizona.

Habitat Types

Its typical habitats include salt desert shrub communities, blackbrush, sagebrush, and pinyon–juniper woodlands.

Elevation Range

It also grows frequently alongside roads, at elevations ranging from 1500 to 2100 meters.

Ecological Role

Ecologically, small-leaf globemallow is a host plant for common checkered-skipper caterpillars, along with many other species in the mallow family.

Cultivation Uses

In cultivation, small-leaf globemallow is used in xeriscape gardening and as a naturalizing plant.

Cultivation Requirements

It prefers productive fertile soils over barren soils, and is winter hardy in USDA zones 5 through 10.