Prickly Sida is a summer annual weed in the mallow family. It produces small 1/3" flowers on short stalks. Due to the stalks' short length, the flowers are typically hidden in the foliage. The light yellow or light orange petals are floppy, blooming on sunny mornings. There is a shallow taproot that is divided into secondary roots. The plants' self-seeding can form colonies. Deadheading can help prevent self-seeding. Its seeds which are also spread by animals foraging on the leaves are quick to germinate. A member of the mallow family, this plants appearance does not resemble other plants in the mallow family. However, the flowers produce a column of styles and anthers that will connect to the mallow family. Its blunt green spines below the petioles of the lower leaves are a characteristic that will also help with the plants' identity. It can be found growing on sites that have been disturbed, such as abandoned open fields, roadsides, pastures, along railway tracks, and waste areas as well as open woodlands and in riparian areas. Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Considered a weed of crops, pastures, roadsides and other disturbed areas.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.