Prickly sida
June 12, 2015
Sida spinosa L. Malvaceae (Mallow family)
Life cycle
Erect, branching summer annual.
Leaves
Cotyledons are rounded to heart-shaped with a notch in the tip and short hairs on the surface. Leaves are alternate, egg-shaped to lanceolate, 1 to 2 inches long with toothed margins. Star-shaped hairs make leaf surfaces softly hairy.

Prickly sida seedling and leaf.
Stems
Erect, up to 2-foot-tall branching stems have spines at the leaf nodes.
Flowers and fruit
Pale yellow, five-petaled flowers are formed alone or in small clusters in the upper leaf axils. Fruit are made up of five spined segments, each containing one seed with one round and two flattened surfaces.
Reproduction
Seeds.
Print a PDF of this page: Prickly sida
Other Documents in this Series
You Might Also Be Interested In
-
Celebrating 100 years of Michigan State University Extension in Alcona County
Published on October 19, 2017
-
Finding accurate information on the Internet
Published on November 8, 2013
-
Virtual MI Ag Ideas to Grow With conference returns for sixth year with focus on food and livestock production
Published on January 27, 2026
-
Potential sources of labor: Are these in your future plans?
Published on February 29, 2016
-
Morrill Act turns 150 years old
Published on June 12, 2012
-
Working in confined space on farms requires safety planning
Published on February 17, 2011
Accessibility Questions:
For questions about accessibility and/or if you need additional accommodations for a specific document, please send an email to ANR Communications & Marketing at anrcommunications@anr.msu.edu.