The mallow plant family (Malvaceae) is easy to identify. The flowers have five separate petals. The distinguishing characteristic of the flower is the central column of united reproductive parts ...

The desert globe mallow, Sphaeralcea ambigua, is one of my favorite flowering shrubs. It is native to our Sonoran Desert, and is a great pollinator plant. It’s also a gorgeous addition to your garden.

My plan yesterday was to get up early and prepare for a field trip with one of my former students. It was to be something of a “busman’s holiday” as we wanted to botanize somewhere — and it didn’t ...