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Malvaviscus arboreus Cav.
Wax mallow

Malvaviscus arboreus
Copyright by: David Schroeder, Jungles Studio, 2019. Great Guana Cay, Bahamas.

Family: Malvaceae

Group: Dicot

Substrate: Terrestrial

Habit: Shrub

Perennation: Perennial

Native Range: Native to the West Indes, Mexico, Central America and South America; widely cultivated and sometimes sometimes naturalized elsewhere.

Map of select IRC data for peninsular Florida

SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present

SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Not Native, Naturalized

SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated

Comments: For images, visit CalPhotos.

Synonyms: M. arboreus var. drummondii.

Other data on Malvaviscus arboreus available from :

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Malvaviscus arboreus has been found in the following 22 conservation areas :
Occurrence Native Status
Arch Creek Park Present Not Native, Cultivated Only
Big Cypress National Preserve Present Not Native, Cultivated Only
Blowing Rocks Preserve Present Not Native, Cultivated Only
Deering Estate at Cutler Present Not Native, Cultivated Only
Delray Oaks Natural Area Present Not Native, Cultivated Only
Dry Tortugas National Park Presumed Extirpated Not Native, Cultivated Only
Everglades National Park Possibly Extirpated Not Native, Cultivated Only
Frenchman's Forest Natural Area Present Not Native, Cultivated Only
Gomez Present Not Native, Naturalized
Gulfstream Park Present Not Native, Cultivated Only
Hattie Bauer Hammock Present Not Native, Cultivated Only
Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge Present Not Native, Cultivated Only
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park Present Not Native, Cultivated Only
Jonathan Dickinson State Park Present Not Native, Cultivated Only
Juno Dunes Natural Area Present Not Native, Cultivated Only
Mound Key Archaeological State Park Recorded as Present in Error
National Key Deer Refuge Possibly Extirpated Not Native, Cultivated Only
Pine Island Ridge Natural Area Present Not Native, Cultivated Only
Tree Tops Park Present Not Native, Cultivated Only
Trinity Pineland Present Not Native, Naturalized
Twin Rivers Present Not Native, Naturalized
Twin Rivers Present

Malvaviscus arboreus has been found in the following 4 counties :
Occurrence Native Status
Broward County Not Native, Cultivated Only
Martin County Not Native, Naturalized
Miami-Dade County Not Native, Cultivated Only
Monroe County (Keys) Not Native, Cultivated Only

Malvaviscus arboreus has been found in the following 2 habitats :
Disturbed Upland
Disturbed Wetland

All Images:

Malvaviscus arboreus
Copyright by: David Schroeder, Jungles Studio, 2019. Great Guana Cay, Bahamas.
Malvaviscus arboreus
Copyright by: George D. Gann, 2014
In cultivation, Palm Beach County, Florida, USA
Malvaviscus arboreus
Copyright by: David Schroeder, Jungles Studio, 2019. Great Guana Cay, Bahamas.
Malvaviscus arboreus
Copyright by: David Schroeder, Jungles Studio, 2019. Great Guana Cay, Bahamas.
Malvaviscus arboreus
Malvaviscus arboreus