Sidalcea malviflora (Checker B)

Dwarf Checkerbloom (Sidalcea malviflora) is the California-centered checkerbloom, a meadow and coastal-bluff perennial in the mallow family. It is native to California and reaches its northern range limit in southwestern Oregon, where it grows on prairie remnants and coastal bluffs.

Plants form basal rosettes of palmately-lobed glossy green leaves and send up loose spikes of rose-pink mallow flowers from late spring through mid summer. The flowers open from the bottom of the spike upward over several weeks, much like a small wild hollyhock.

Pollinator and butterfly value is the headline for this species. Bumblebees and native solitary bees work the chalice-shaped flowers for pollen, and adult West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella) and Painted Lady butterflies take nectar. It is also a documented larval host for West Coast Lady and Common Checkered-Skipper (Burnsius communis), so caterpillars feed on the foliage in summer.

Plant Dwarf Checkerbloom in full sun to light shade in average soil with moderate moisture. It thrives in mediterranean rhythms: green and growing in spring, blooming in early summer, then easing toward partial summer dormancy in dry seasons. USDA Zone 5 to 9. Coastal-suitable; tolerates salt spray and humid air.

Note for browse-pressure gardens: unlike many native perennials, Sidalcea is not deer resistant. The whole mallow family is palatable. Plan for a fenced bed or accept that it will be nibbled.

Pairs naturally with Eschscholzia californica, Lupinus bicolor, Iris douglasiana, Achillea millefolium, and the native bunchgrasses for a coastal grassland or pollinator-meadow planting.