Munro’s Globemallow

Munro’s Globemallow is also known  by several other names:  orange globemallow, desert mallow, and whitestem globemallow.  Some of the bees it attracts, notably ground-nesting bees of the genus Diadasia, are specialists, taking pollen and nectar only from Sphaeralcea and related genera.  Besides pollinators, Munro’s Globemallow is a food source for a variety wildlife, ranging from rodents and rabbits to deer and pronghorn.  As an ornamental plant, Munro’s Globemallow does well in rock gardens, on banks, and along driveways and walkways.  It is also useful in range revegetation.

Munro’s Globemallow is a subshrub that grows up to 32 inches tall.  It develops a taproot, which helps it thrive in open, dry areas from desert plains to low mountain slopes.  It is typically found in association with sagebrush.  Globemallow seed should be planted 1/4 inch deep, and germination can be enhanced by scarifying the seed’s hard coat by soaking in water.  Since for pollination the plants depend mainly on ground-nesting bees, it is counter-productive to till near Globemallow when it is blooming.