Flower profile
Woolly rosemallow
Hibiscus lasiocarpos
Woolly rosemallow (Hibiscus lasiocarpos) is a low shrub in the Malvaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly June–September across the U.S.
Woolly rosemallow is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Arkansas
Quick look
Muenchhusia moscheutos subsp. lasiocarpos, the hairy-fruited hibiscus, wooly rose-mallow, or rosemallow is a subspecies of Muenchhusia moscheutos native to much of the southeastern and south-central United States, as well as parts of northeastern Mexico, California, and Utah.
- It belongs to the Malvaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a annual, perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 16 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Arkansas. NatureServe
- iNaturalist has 582 research-grade sightings of it in Arkansas, ranking #97 among the 170 flowers on our Arkansas list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- T4 See NatureServe for what T4 means. NatureServe
- Arkansas
- No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arkansas.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: IN (S1), KS (S2), KY (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list. For context only: ASPCA lists a related species, Hibiscus syriacus (“Hibiscus”), as non-toxic to dogs and cats. That doesn't tell us about this species, so keep pets away to be safe. ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records woolly rosemallow in 16 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas.
Names, range and relatives
Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Hibiscus californicus, Hibiscus leucophyllus, Hibiscus platanoides.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 66 counties across 6 states; the most are in Texas (33), Mississippi (19), California (9).
Other Hibiscus on Bloomipedia (7): Common hibiscus, Swamp rose mallow, Flower-of-an-hour, Sea hibiscus, Koki‘o ke‘oke‘o, Brackenridge's rosemallow, Tropical hibiscus.
More from the Malvaceae family (29 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Turk's cap, Velvetleaf, Dwarf mallow, Apricot globemallow, Checkerbloom, Scarlet globemallow, Bristly mallow, Winecup mallow.
More Arkansas flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile HILA6.
- iNaturalist, Hibiscus lasiocarpos: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Muenchhusia moscheutos subsp. lasiocarpos (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Arkansas: Arkansas State Plant Board noxious weeds and prohibited plants (2 CAR § 50-101).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Hibiscus lasiocarpos (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: ASPCA.
- Photo: Scott Yarger via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.