Sidalcea hickmanii
Chaparral checkerbloom
(c) Alexander Wentworth, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alexander Wentworth · licence
Family: Malvaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Sidalcea hickmanii (Chaparral checkerbloom) is a native California subshrub in the Malvaceae family.
Chaparral checkerbloom is a California native perennial herb found in chaparral habitats, growing from a woody caudex with stems one to eight decimeters tall. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces pale pink to pink-lavender flowers five to eighteen millimeters long in delicate clusters. Growing with coarsely stellate-canescent stems, it develops broadly shaped leaves one to six centimeters wide that are typically wider than they are long, with coarse crenate edges or shallow to deep lobing. Its leaves are generally similar in size and distributed along the entire stem, with a distinctive stellate-hairy texture. The fruit develops in segments of six to ten parts, with smooth sides and subtle net-veined edges.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated - no sympatric species
Habitat and range
California counties: Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Riverside
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 hickmanii native to California?
Yes. Sidalcea hickmanii is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Sidalcea hickmanii grow?
Sidalcea hickmanii occurs in Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Riverside.
What plant family does Sidalcea hickmanii belong to?
Sidalcea hickmanii is in the Malvaceae family, genus Sidalcea.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Sidalcea hickmanii subsp. anomala — Cuesta pass checkerbloom
- Sidalcea hickmanii subsp. hickmanii — Hickman's checkerbloom
- Sidalcea hickmanii subsp. napensis — Napa checkerbloom
- Sidalcea hickmanii subsp. parishii — Parish's checkerbloom
- Sidalcea hickmanii subsp. pillsburiensis — Lake pillsbury checkerbloom
- Sidalcea hickmanii subsp. viridis — Marin 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.