Sidalcea hirsuta
Hairy checkerbloom
(c) Millie Basden, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Malvaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Sidalcea hirsuta (Hairy checkerbloom) is a native California herb in the Malvaceae family, recognized by annual habit and wetland preference.
Hairy checkerbloom is a California native annual found in the northern Coast Ranges, northern Sierra Nevada foothills, central Sierra Nevada, and Great Valley in vernally wet grasslands and pools at elevations below 1,100 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces dark rose-pink flowers 13 to 25 millimeters long in dense clusters. Growing 30 to 80 centimeters tall with stout stems that are nearly glabrous below and densely bristly above, it develops intricate branching. Its leaves have distinctive lobed blades with upper leaf lobes being narrowly linear and acute, creating a delicate textural appearance. The fruit segments are 3 to 4 millimeters long with wrinkled backs and net-veined surfaces.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 18 sympatric species - distinguished by annual habit and wetland preference
Habitat and range
Habitat: Vernally wet places, pools, grassland
Elevation: < 1100 m
California counties: Butte, Mariposa, Fresno, Tuolumne, Sacramento, Tulare, Mendocino, Merced, Tehama, Yuba, Calaveras, Shasta, Glenn, Napa, San Joaquin, El Dorado, Madera, Stanislaus, Sutter, Lake, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Solano, Yolo
Bloom period
Sidalcea hirsuta blooms Apr-Jun.
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 hirsuta native to California?
Yes. Sidalcea hirsuta is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Sidalcea hirsuta bloom?
Sidalcea hirsuta blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Sidalcea hirsuta grow?
Sidalcea hirsuta occurs in Butte, Mariposa, Fresno, Tuolumne, Sacramento, Tulare, Mendocino, Merced and other counties, at elevations of < 1100 m.
What plant family does Sidalcea hirsuta belong to?
Sidalcea hirsuta is in the Malvaceae family, genus Sidalcea.
What habitat does Sidalcea hirsuta grow in?
Sidalcea hirsuta grows in Vernally wet places, pools, grassland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Sidalcea keckii — Keck's checkerbloom
- Sidalcea malachroides — Maple-leaved checkerbloom
- Sidalcea malviflora — Checkerbloom
- Sidalcea malviflora subsp. californica — Chaparral checkerbloom
- Sidalcea malviflora subsp. dolosa — Bear valley checkerbloom
- Sidalcea malviflora subsp. laciniata — Geranium-leaved 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.