Utah weeds · Annual to short-lived biennial · peak April – September
How to get rid of Common Mallow in Utah
How to recognize Common Mallow (cheeseweed)
- Round, slightly lobed leaves on long stalks
- Small white to pale pink flowers
- Flat, round seed pods that look like little wheels of cheese
- A thick taproot that gets harder to pull as the plant grows
Why it thrives in Utah
Mallow likes disturbed soil, fresh mulch and flower beds. It grows quickly in spring, and left alone it becomes a large, woody plant that shades out what you planted. Each plant sets plenty of seed.
How to remove it by hand
- Pull seedlings as soon as you can tell what they are. The root is still small and slides out.
- On bigger plants, loosen the soil around the taproot with a hand fork before pulling.
- Take the whole root. A broken root can resprout.
- Bag any plant carrying seed pods.
- Check beds again in a week or two, since seeds sprout in waves.
When to pull it
The main flush comes in spring, from about April into June, but new plants can appear all season wherever beds stay watered.
How to keep it from coming back
- Two to three inches of mulch keeps seed from reaching the soil.
- Pull plants before they flower so they do not drop more seed.
- Refresh thin mulch so bare soil is not exposed.
Common Mallow FAQs
Why is mallow spreading in my flower bed?
Seed from last year, or seed carried in with mulch or soil, sprouts quickly in moist beds. The fix is pulling plants young and before they seed.
How big does common mallow get?
If it is left alone it can grow into a large plant of several feet, with a thick root that is hard to pull. Pulling it small is much easier.
Does mallow come back after pulling?
It can if part of the taproot is left in the soil, or when new seeds sprout. Regular weeding takes care of both.
Skip the pulling
A weeder from Utah Weed Pullers can handle common mallow for you: one visit a week, pulled by hand with no sprays, from $322 a month. We serve all of Utah County and Salt Lake County, including Lehi, Provo, Orem, Draper, Sandy, South Jordan, American Fork, Salt Lake City. See every city.