North America Non-native Plant

Pavonia Gallaensis

Botanical name: Pavonia gallaensis

USDA symbol: PAGA6

Native status: Not native but doesn't reproduce and persist in the wild

Pavonia gallaensis: The Mystery Plant That’s Hard to Pin Down Ever stumble across a plant name that seems to exist in botanical limbo? Meet Pavonia gallaensis, a species that’s proving to be quite the enigma in the gardening world. If you’ve been searching for information about this particular plant, you’re ...

Pavonia gallaensis: The Mystery Plant That’s Hard to Pin Down

Ever stumble across a plant name that seems to exist in botanical limbo? Meet Pavonia gallaensis, a species that’s proving to be quite the enigma in the gardening world. If you’ve been searching for information about this particular plant, you’re not alone in finding yourself scratching your head!

What We Know (And Don’t Know)

Here’s the straight scoop: reliable information about Pavonia gallaensis is remarkably scarce. While the name suggests it belongs to the Pavonia genus – a group of flowering plants in the mallow family that includes some lovely shrubs and perennials – this specific species seems to fly under the radar of most botanical databases and gardening resources.

The lack of readily available information could mean several things:

  • It might be an extremely rare or recently described species
  • The name could be a synonym that’s not widely recognized
  • It may be a regional name or misidentification
  • It could be a plant that exists primarily in scientific collections rather than cultivation

The Pavonia Family Connection

While we can’t give you the full scoop on Pavonia gallaensis specifically, we can tell you that plants in the Pavonia genus are generally pretty charming additions to gardens. Most Pavonia species are known for their hibiscus-like flowers and tend to be heat-loving plants that thrive in warmer climates.

What Should Gardeners Do?

If you’ve encountered this plant name and are hoping to add it to your garden, here’s our advice:

  • Double-check the identification: Make sure you have the correct botanical name, as plant names can sometimes get jumbled
  • Consult local experts: Reach out to your local botanical garden, native plant society, or extension office
  • Consider well-known Pavonia alternatives: Look into more commonly available Pavonia species that might meet your gardening needs
  • Be cautious with online purchases: If you find seeds or plants labeled as Pavonia gallaensis, verify the source’s credibility

The Bottom Line

Sometimes in the plant world, we encounter these botanical mysteries that remind us there’s still so much to discover and learn. While Pavonia gallaensis remains elusive in terms of growing information, this doesn’t mean your garden has to miss out on the charm of the Pavonia family.

If you’re drawn to plants with exotic names and interesting stories, consider exploring other members of the mallow family that are better documented and more readily available. Your local native plant society can often point you toward regional alternatives that will give you that same sense of growing something special.

Have you encountered Pavonia gallaensis in your gardening adventures? We’d love to hear about your experiences with this mysterious plant!

Pavonia Gallaensis

Classification

Group

Dicot

Kingdom

Plantae - Plants

Subkingdom

Tracheobionta - Vascular plants

Superdivision

Spermatophyta - Seed plants

Division

Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants

Subdivision
Class

Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons

Subclass

Dilleniidae

Order

Malvales

Family

Malvaceae Juss. - Mallow family

Genus

Pavonia Cav. - swampmallow

Species

Pavonia gallaensis Ulbr.

Plant data source: USDA, NRCS 2025. The PLANTS Database. https://plants.usda.gov,. 2/25/2025. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA