Common mallow

Discuss this plant with the guide — choose this profile as a possible match and prepare your observations for Colorado Plants & Practical Care.

Malva neglecta

Common weed; not an A/B/C listing in the reviewed state rule. CO-rules-2025

Tough taproot and persistent lawn seedbank. Exposure help.

Identification caveat: Common names overlap with other Malva species. The reviewed account supports weed biology, not a declaration that all pet or livestock exposures are harmless.

Still researching this plant

This is a sourced working profile. Evidence is incomplete for People, Dogs & cats, Other animals. Identification and source-photo limits are explained below. Independent botanical and veterinary review is pending. Uncertainty is not a finding that the plant is safe.

Three views of this plant

Source-identified reference photographs; these are not a complete identification key. A source location outside Colorado does not establish local occurrence.

Malva neglecta: A small pale flower beneath rounded, shallowly lobed leaves with toothed edges. — **flowers and leaves** — A small pale flower beneath rounded, shallowly lobed leaves with toothed edges.
NY State IPM Program at Cornell University from New York, USA · CC BY 2.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source scientific identification plus visual morphology review of the selected photograph. This is a source-identified reference, not a specimen-based taxonomic determination. Other mallows can have similar leaves and flowers. Identification follows the exact scientific source label; no close-relative placeholder was used.
Wikimedia server-resized derivative; no crop, colour change or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

Malva neglecta: A dense spreading patch of rounded, shallowly lobed leaves. — **habit** — A dense spreading patch of rounded, shallowly lobed leaves.
NY State IPM Program at Cornell University from New York, USA · CC BY 2.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source scientific identification plus visual morphology review of the selected photograph. This is a source-identified reference, not a specimen-based taxonomic determination. Other mallows can have similar leaves and flowers. Identification follows the exact scientific source label; no close-relative placeholder was used.
Wikimedia server-resized derivative; no crop, colour change or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

Malva neglecta: A pale pink flower with five notched petals and a central column, among rounded leaves. — **flower detail** — A pale pink flower with five notched petals and a central column, among rounded leaves.
Daniel Ballmer · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source scientific identification plus visual morphology review of the selected photograph. This is a source-identified reference, not a specimen-based taxonomic determination. Other mallows can have similar leaves and flowers. Identification follows the exact scientific source label; no close-relative placeholder was used.
Wikimedia server-resized derivative; no crop, colour change or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

Recognize

Low spreading stems, rounded shallowly lobed leaves and small pale flowers with notched petals; fruits resemble little cheese wheels. N-malva-neglecta C-descriptions

Plants & habitat

Common in disturbed Colorado gardens and thin lawns. Taproots become difficult to remove, and durable seeds support recurring patches. C-descriptions N-malva-neglecta

People

The reviewed sources do not establish species-specific ingestion effects or a safe exposure amount for people. Missing evidence does not establish safety.

Dogs & cats

The reviewed sources do not establish species-specific ingestion effects or a safe exposure amount for dogs or cats. Missing evidence does not establish safety.

Other animals

The reviewed sources do not establish species-specific ingestion effects or a safe exposure amount for livestock. Missing evidence does not establish safety.

Before taking action

Confirm identification and the requirements of your county weed program. For chemical treatment, follow the current product label, including restrictions around animals and water. S27

References

CO-rules-2025 — Colorado Noxious Weed Act rules, 8 CCR 1206-2, Colorado Secretary of State / Department of Agriculture. Accessed 2026-09-07T01:07:48+00:00. Locator: Parts 3.1, 4.1, 5.1; management provisions; effective May 15, 2025.
N-malva-neglecta — malva neglecta — Plant Toolbox, NC State Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T01:21:11+00:00. Locator: Species identity, description, ecology, toxicity.
C-descriptions — Weed descriptions, Colorado State University Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:24:02+00:00. Locator: Species entries.
S27 — 2103 – Colorado Noxious Weeds, PlantTalk Colorado · CSU Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:23:57+00:00. Locator: List A, B and C management categories.

Content revised 2026-09-07 02:43:00Z · Source checks dated separately in the references.