Bush's Poppy Mallow, is a rare herbaceous biennial/perennial in the mallow (Malvaceae) family that is native to the Southern United States but not to NC. It is typically found in open woods and ravine bottoms. The plants will grow 1-2 feet tall and wide and also grow along the ground but they do not root at the nodes. The Genus name, Callrihoe , represents the daughter of a minor Greek river god, Achelous. This species honors the botanist who discovered the plant, Benjamin Franklin Bush. The large showy magenta flowers are upward-facing and long-lasting. The attractive foliage is palmately divided into 5-7 finger-like lobes. It is uncommon in the wild, but plants and seeds are available in some nurseries. Bush's Poppy Mallow grows easily in dry to medium moisture well-drained soil. Good drainage is required so avoid humusy or clay soils. Bush's Poppy Mallow has a stout thick root making it difficult to transplant. Once the plant is established it should not be disturbed because of its root system. It prefers full sun but tolerates partial shade, moderate to dry conditions, and well-drained soil. In nature, the plant will avoid acidic soils. The plant propagates by seed, which requires 30 days of cold stratification to germinate, but will also self-seed in the garden if conditions are good. It should be planted in the fall and is not frost-tender. The plant provides good ground cover in dry areas and can trail over a stone wall. Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems, but it can develop crown rot if the soil is poorly drained.
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.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Cascading; Creeping; Erect; Spreading
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Palmasect
Leaf margin
Dentate; Lobed
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The leaves are divided palmately or hand-shaped with 5 to 7 lobes. The blades are up to 1-3 inches long and 5 inches long. The lower leaves on the stem have the most divisions, and the larger lobes have teeth-like indentations on the tips of the lobes. The stem leaves gradually appear smaller in size with fewer lobes (3-5 lobes) and have fewer teeth-like indentations as they ascend the stem. The leaves are on long, hairy stalks.
Flower color
Pink; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
The flower is brightly magenta colored with 5 wedge-shaped, overlapping petals which form into a cup. The base of the cup is white and there is a central column of stamens. Below the cup-like flower are 5 hairy pointed, green sepals shorter than the petals. On the flower stalk below the cup-like petals are 3 hairy green bracts shorter than the petals. Blooms from early to late summer.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Black; Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Capsule; Schizocarp
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The seed head forms into a flat ring and has seed capsules around the center. Each seed capsule contains a single seed. The seeds are very dark brown to black in color and kidney-shaped. The seed typically falls near the plant and are not typically wind blown.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
The stems are green with greenish white hairs, weakly erect, rambling, and creeping. The plant may spread through the garden, but it does not root at the stem nodes.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Southern United States
Distribution
Native to Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. It is found in the Ozark Plateaus, Ouachita Mountains, and Cherokee Plains.
Wildlife value
Provides nectar and is pollinated by butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Hummingbirds; Pollinators
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Capsule; Schizocarp
Edibility
When grown on nitrogen rich soils (and particularly when these are cultivated inorganically), the plant tends to concentrate high levels of nitrates in its leaves. The leaves are perfectly wholesome otherwise. Avoid with gallstones.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Meadow; Naturalized Area; Rock Wall
Landscape theme
Drought Tolerant Garden; Pollinator Garden; Rock Garden