Sidalcea asprella
Harsh checker mallow
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Family: Malvaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Sidalcea asprella (Harsh checker mallow) is a native California shrub in the Malvaceae family.
Harsh checker mallow is a California native perennial found in rocky or open areas within coastal ranges and central California at moderate elevations. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces pink flowers 1 to 2.5 centimeters long with pale veins, arranged in open, elongate clusters of 2 to 15 blooms. Growing with erect or ascending stems 30 to 60 centimeters tall, it has a distinctive stellate-hairy appearance with 4-rayed hairs covering its green stems and leaves. Its leaves are generally lobed with narrow bases and toothed tips, covered in fine star-shaped hairs that give the plant a soft, textured appearance. The fruit consists of 7 to 8 segments, each 3 to 4 millimeters long and marked with intricate net-like veining.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated - no sympatric species
Habitat and range
California counties: Yuba, Placer, Nevada, Alpine, Shasta, Butte, Calaveras, Siskiyou, El Dorado, Tuolumne, Amador, Humboldt, Trinity, Lake, Sierra, Mariposa
How to tell it apart
vs Malva: Sidalcea has no bract ring below flowers and anthers in two circles; Malva has 3 bracts and scattered anthers.; vs Clarkia: Sidalcea has mallow flowers with fused stamens; Clarkia has 4 separate petals and 8 separate stamens.; vs Geranium: Sidalcea has bowl-shaped flowers with fused stamens; Geranium has 5 separate petals and long beaked fruits.; vs Malacothamnus: Sidalcea is herbaceous in meadows; Malacothamnus is a woody shrub in chaparral.; vs Calochortus: Sidalcea is a dicot with 5-petaled flowers; Calochortus is a monocot with 3-petaled flowers from bulbs.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sidalcea asprella native to California?
Yes. Sidalcea asprella is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Sidalcea asprella grow?
Sidalcea asprella occurs in Yuba, Placer, Nevada, Alpine, Shasta, Butte, Calaveras, Siskiyou and other counties.
What plant family does Sidalcea asprella belong to?
Sidalcea asprella is in the Malvaceae family, genus Sidalcea.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Sidalcea asprella subsp. asprella — Harsh checkerbloom
- Sidalcea asprella subsp. nana — Dwarf sierran checkerbloom
- Sidalcea calycosa — Vernal pool checkerbloom
- Sidalcea calycosa subsp. calycosa — Vernal pool checkerbloom
- Sidalcea calycosa subsp. rhizomata — Point reyes checkerbloom
- Sidalcea celata — Redding checkerbloom
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.