Sidalcea malviflora, Checkerbloom

Checkerbloom is a great plant for the front edge of a border. Growing only about a foot tall, stems of cup-shaped bright pink flowers arise from a mound of palmate leaves in summer. Often found growing in grasslands with California poppies, cream cups, blue-eyed grass and spring bulbs. With a little water it will bloom all summer; in a dry garden it will be dormant in summer but return with the first rains. Full sun to shade, moderate water. Will spread around but is not aggressive; good for filling gaps in the groundcover.

This plant tolerates a wide variety of soils, and prefers damp winter conditions and dry summer conditions. It is most often started from seed and sometimes behaves like an annual.