SIDALCEA. Western North America. It is always a treat to encounter one of these perennial mallows in the wild, usually perched by some seep or creeklet on a meadowy hillside. Though closely related and similar to the hollyhocks (Alcea), they are more refined, with attractive clumps of rounded, usually lobed basal leaves and slender stems of white to deep rose blossoms, often with darker veining. They are useful in borders, for poolside plantings and in informal flower gardens. Sun, most soils, constant moisture at least through spring. Hardy to 10^oF or less.

candida. A Rocky Mountain native, making hummocks of nearly round, blue-green leaves up to 6" wide. Well-branched stems rise in early summer to a height of 2-3', displaying many pure white 1" blossoms. ‘Bianca’ is a floriferous seed strain. Extremely hardy.

hybrids (often listed as S. hybrida). There are by now many selections and hybrids involving S. malvaeflora, below, many generations removed from the original. They are generally more robust and floriferous than the species—though not necessarily more beautiful—and offer a range of flower colors from pure white to crimson. ‘Rosanna’ is a nice seed strain, producing plants with 2-3' stems, carrying rose colored flowers.

malvaeflora. Widespread in California; Mama plant for our original stock was found a few miles south of San Francisco. This selection grows about 1½' tall, the flower stems reclining somewhat and arching up at the tips. Leaves and stems are bluish green in color. The flowers are up to 1½" broad, bright pink overall with red veining. Recently we acquired a lower growing clone with larger, darker green leaves and darker flowers, one of a group of selections made by Roger Raiche and distributed by California Flora Nursery. In either case, plants can be kept growing and blooming through summer with regular watering, or allowed to dry out completely, reappearing with the fall rains.