The branching stem of Sida hermaphrodita is 1 to 4 meters tall, and up to 3 centimeters in diameter.

[4][5] Sida hermaphrodita has been recorded in Washington, D.C., Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and the Canadian province of Ontario, although local distribution may be spotty.

[3] In Virginia, Sida hermaphrodita grows in habitats such as sandy or rocky river shores.

[7] Virginia mallow has since been formally treated as a monotypic, isolated, temperate, North American genus, Ripariosida hermaphrodita Weakley & D. B.

[9] The results of trials in Northern Europe have demonstrated high yields, ranging from 6.7 to 16.7 oven dry metric tons per hectare (3.0 to 7.4 short ton/acre), annually, showing good properties as a feedstock for energy pellets [10]