Scarlet Globemallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea) is in the Mallow and Hibiscus Family family (Malvaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 953 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in June.
Nationally it blooms mainly from April to June, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Scarlet Globemallow: observations by month (U.S.)
About Scarlet Globemallow
Sphaeralcea coccinea, the scarlet globemallow, is a perennial plant growing 10–30 cm tall from spreading rhizomes with a low habit. They have grayish stems with dense, star-shaped hairs and alternately arranged leaves. The leaf blades are 2–5 cm long, palmately shaped, and deeply cut, with 3–5 main wedge-shaped segments. The undersides of the leaves have gray hairs. The 2-cm-wide flowers are reddish-orange and saucer-shaped, with 5 notched, broad petals, in small terminal clusters. Plants flower from May to...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Scarlet Globemallow by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 319 | June | May–Jun |
| Texas | 254 | April | Apr–May |
| Utah | 99 | May | Apr–Jun |
| New Mexico | 90 | May | Apr–Jun |
| North Dakota | 51 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Wyoming | 37 | June | May–Jul |
| South Dakota | 36 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Montana | 21 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Kansas | 19 | May | May–Jun |
| Nebraska | 12 | May | May–Jul |
| Oklahoma | 9 | May | Apr–May |
| Arizona | 5 | May | May–Jun |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (Mallow and Hibiscus Family)
Checkerbloom
Swamp Rose Mallow
Turk's cap
Apricot Globemallow
Cretan mallow
Southern Coastal Bushmallow
Common Hibiscus
Cheeseweed Mallow
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Scarlet Globemallow?
Nationally, June has the most observations, with the main season from April to June.
Where is Scarlet Globemallow most often seen?
The most observations come from Colorado, Texas, Utah.