Botanical name: Modiola caroliniana
Common Names
Red-flowered mallow, Carolina bristlemallow
Red-flowered mallow is a low-growing perennial broadleaf weed found throughout Australia, particularly in temperate and coastal regions. It is common across Western Australia in lawns, garden edges, roadsides, and disturbed soils.
This weed forms dense, spreading mats that grow close to the ground, allowing it to avoid mowing and persist in managed turf areas. It thrives in moist, fertile soils but is also tolerant of a range of conditions, making it a persistent problem in urban landscapes.
Leaves are round to kidney-shaped with shallow lobes and a soft, slightly hairy texture. The plant produces small but distinctive reddish-orange flowers with multiple petals, which appear close to the ground and can be seen for much of the year in favourable conditions.
Red-flowered mallow spreads by seed and creeping stems, enabling it to establish quickly in thin or stressed turf. Its prostrate growth habit allows it to outcompete desirable plants and form dense ground cover if left unmanaged.
Similar Species
Common mallow (Malva spp.), Marshmallow (Althaea spp.)
SCENARIOS AND SOLUTIONS:
Low-cut lawns and turf: Use a selective broadleaf herbicide such as Apparent Bow and Arrow to control red-flowered mallow without damaging turf. Repeated applications to remove taproot
Garden edges, pathways, and creeping into landscaped areas: Apply Apparent Salvo or Apparent Glyphosate to actively growing plants to prevent further spread
Moist, fertile soils where dense mats are forming: Use Apparent Halosulfuron 750 and improve turf density or ground cover to suppress regrowth
References:
https://weeds.brisbane.qld.gov.au/weeds/red-flowered-mallow
https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/modiola_caroliniana.htm
