Sidalcea malviflora aka Dwarf Checkerbloom

Sidalcea malviflora is a perennial in the mallow family, Malvaceae. Its common names include checkerbloom, chequerbloom, and Greek mallow. Kew places its native range from California into northern Baja California, Mexico. Plants For A Future also lists southern Oregon within its range. It grows on grassy slopes and in open forest glades. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

This plant forms clumps with upright or slightly spreading growth. The RHS gives a garden height of 3.3–4.9 feet [1–1.5 metres]. Its shorter account describes plants reaching 3.9 feet [1.2 metres]. Clumps spread about 0.3–1.6 feet [0.1–0.5 metres] across. Plants take two to five years to reach full size. The leaves are mid-green, and the plant sheds them seasonally. Rounded leaves grow at the base and have shallow lobes. Leaves higher on the stems have deeper lobes.

Pink to lilac-pink flowers open in early and midsummer. Each flower has a funnel shape and measures about two inches across. The flowers grow in racemes along the flowering stems. Their height suits beds and borders, and gardeners use them as cut flowers. The RHS also lists cottage, courtyard, coastal, and wildlife gardens as suitable settings. Plants For A Future suggests sunny woodland edges and cultivated beds.

Give this plant full sun and moist soil that drains well. The RHS favours light, sandy soil with humus and moderate fertility. Neutral to slightly acid soil suits it best. Its wider soil listing also includes loam and chalk. The RHS rates its winter hardiness as H7. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 5–9. Raise new plants from seed in spring or autumn. Divide established clumps in either of those seasons. Cut the stems back hard once flowering ends. Slugs may damage the plant, and rust can affect it.

The leaves are edible either raw or cooked. They have a mild taste and a slightly slippery texture. Use fresh leaves in salads or cook them as greens. Dried, mashed leaves have also served as flavouring with black manzanita berries. Plants For A Future gives the plant an edibility score of three out of five. It reports no known hazards, but this does not establish safety for pets. The same source lists no known medicinal uses or other uses. It does not flag the species as weedy.