Sidalcea sparsifolia
Southern checkerbloom
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Family: Malvaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Sidalcea sparsifolia (Southern checkerbloom) is a native California subshrub in the Malvaceae family, recognized by leaves crowded at base and tall branched inflorescences.
Southern checkerbloom is a California native perennial found in southern Sierra Nevada foothills, southern Coast Ranges, and southwestern California in periodically moist to dry grassy slopes and chaparral habitats at elevations below 2,200 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces pink to rose-colored flowers 1 to 2.5 centimeters long in branched inflorescences exceeding its leaves. Growing 20 to 80 centimeters tall with stellate or bristly hairs, it emerges from a thick fibrous crown with a short caudex. Its lower leaves are 2 to 6 centimeters wide, deeply crenate to shallowly 7-lobed, covered in stellate hairs and concentrated near the stem base. The fruit segments are 2.5 to 3 millimeters long with weak to moderate net-veined pitting and glandular pubescence.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 15 sympatric species; leaves crowded at base and tall branched inflorescences
Habitat and range
Habitat: Periodically moist to dry grassy slopes or +- flat places, chaparral often with
Elevation: < 2200 m
California counties: Kern, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Orange
Outside California: northern Baja California
Bloom period
Sidalcea sparsifolia blooms Mar-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 sparsifolia native to California?
Yes. Sidalcea sparsifolia is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Sidalcea sparsifolia bloom?
Sidalcea sparsifolia blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Sidalcea sparsifolia grow?
Sidalcea sparsifolia occurs in Kern, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Orange, at elevations of < 2200 m.
What plant family does Sidalcea sparsifolia belong to?
Sidalcea sparsifolia is in the Malvaceae family, genus Sidalcea.
What habitat does Sidalcea sparsifolia grow in?
Sidalcea sparsifolia grows in Periodically moist to dry grassy slopes or +- flat places, chaparral often with.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Sidalcea stipularis — Scadden flat checkerbloom
- Sidalcea asprella — Harsh checker mallow
- 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
- Sphaeralcea ambigua — Apricot mallow
- Sphaeralcea ambigua var. ambigua — Apricot mallow
- Sphaeralcea ambigua var. rosacea — Parish mallow
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.