Sidalcea oregana subsp. spicata
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Family: Malvaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Sidalcea oregana subsp. spicata is a native California subshrub in the Malvaceae family, recognized by bracts larger than buds and short flower stalks.
Spicate meadow checker-mallow is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, northern Sierra Nevada, northern and central Sierra Nevada, and Great Basin in meadows and streamsides at elevations of 975 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces pink to rose-pink or magenta flowers 10 to 15 millimeters long in dense panicle-like inflorescences. Growing with several stems 30 to 80 centimeters tall, the plant has a base covered in soft stellate hairs up to 2 millimeters long. Its leaves vary along the stem, with the base having soft stellate-hairy stems occasionally featuring long bristles. The fruit segments are 2.5 to 3 millimeters long with smooth sides and a very short beak.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 15 sympatric species; bracts larger than buds and short flower stalks
Habitat and range
Habitat: Meadows, streamsides
Elevation: 975-3000 m
California counties: Mono, Butte, Siskiyou, Placer, Plumas, Humboldt, Sierra, Lassen, Trinity, Nevada, Alpine, Shasta, Tulare, El Dorado, Modoc, Fresno, Riverside, Inyo, Tuolumne, Tehama, Kern, San Francisco, Mendocino, Mariposa
Outside California: Oregon, western Nevada
Bloom period
Sidalcea oregana subsp. spicata blooms Jun-Aug.
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 oregana subsp. spicata native to California?
Yes. Sidalcea oregana subsp. spicata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Sidalcea oregana subsp. spicata bloom?
Sidalcea oregana subsp. spicata blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Sidalcea oregana subsp. spicata grow?
Sidalcea oregana subsp. spicata occurs in Mono, Butte, Siskiyou, Placer, Plumas, Humboldt, Sierra, Lassen and other counties, at elevations of 975-3000 m.
What plant family does Sidalcea oregana subsp. spicata belong to?
Sidalcea oregana subsp. spicata is in the Malvaceae family, genus Sidalcea.
What habitat does Sidalcea oregana subsp. spicata grow in?
Sidalcea oregana subsp. spicata grows in Meadows, streamsides.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-08
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.