Sidalcea campestris
Native Oregon perennial wildflower from the Willamette Valley, grows tall to form large clumps with hollyhock-like blooms in blush-pink to white, is highly drought-tolerant, and readily self-seeds in sunny, meadow-like dry gardens.
Common Names
Meadow Checkermallow, Meadow Checkerbloom, Meadow Checker-Mallow, Meadow Sidalcea, Tall Wild Hollyhock, Tall Wild Checkermallow
Summary
Meadow Checkermallow (Sidalcea campestris) is a tall, herbaceous perennial native to the Willamette Valley of Oregon. It forms a clump from short, thick rhizomes, with gray-green, palmately divided leaves, and erect stems that reach about 2–6 ft tall. From May to July, open spikes bear five-petaled white to pink flowers, giving a hollyhock-like appearance and providing nectar for pollinators.
In cultivation, it prefers full sun to partial shade and moist to well-drained soil, tolerating drought once established. It suits meadow or wildflower plantings, attracts bees and butterflies, and can be established by seed, plugs, or divisions, with a tendency to self-sow in suitable conditions. It is valued for pollinator habitat and nectar sources in native landscapes.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
2-6 feet
Spread
12-24 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 4b-9b
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full Sun to Partial Shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained soil (moist to rather dry conditions).
Soil Drainage
Well-drained
Bloom Color
White to Pink
Bloom Time
Spring and Summer
Foliage Color
Gray-green
Fall Foliage Color
Green
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Fast
Seasons of Interest
Spring and Summer
Propagation Methods
Seeds and Division
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, information about attraction of hummingbirds or birds is inconsistent across sources
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- Greene
- Publication
- Bull. Calif. Acad. Sci. 1: 76 (1885)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Malvales
- Family
- Malvaceae
- Genus
- Sidalcea