Henderson's Checkermallow

5/5 (3)
leave a review
Current Stock:
0
Other Names:
Henderson's Checkermallow, Henderson's Checkerbloom, Henderson's Sidalcea
Latin Name:
Sidalcea Hendersonii
Size *

Henderson's Checkermallow (Sidalcea hendersonii) is a rare and beautiful Northwest perennial — tall spires of rose-pink mallow flowers over heart-shaped leaves — with tender, edible spring greens.2, 4

NOTE: Native wildflowers are dormant (no leaves/flowers) Summer–Fall.

Edible & Medicinal Uses

The leaves and flowers are mild and pleasant, raw or cooked — add them to salads and soups or cook them into other dishes. The leaves have fuzzy hairs (though fewer than Dwarf Checkerbloom's), so the young leaves are the most tender. Like other members of the mallow family — food and medicine plants across many cultures for thousands of years — it's rich in vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin A.1, 4

Ornamental Qualities

Striking and long-blooming, Henderson's Checkermallow sends up tall stems of showy, rose-pink, hollyhock-like flowers above heart-shaped basal leaves. It tends to form a spreading colony — beautiful in a moist wildflower border or pollinator planting with Oregon Stonecrop, Nodding Onion, or Early Blue Violet.1

Environment & Culture

Ecology: Native to coastal marshes, wet meadows, and tidal edges of the Northwest, Henderson's Checkermallow is uncommon and declining with the loss of its wetland habitat — so garden plantings help conserve it. Its flowers are a rich nectar source for native bees and butterflies.1, 2

Culture: Checkermallows and other mallows are longstanding food and medicine plants, their leaves and flowers eaten and valued as gentle, soothing greens. We offer it with respect for that living knowledge and invite support for Indigenous-led restoration through our Charitable Giving page.4

In the Kitchen

Gather the tender young leaves and flowers for salads, or wilt the leaves into soups and sautes as a mild, softly mucilaginous green that lightly thickens a broth — classic mallow-family behavior. (Growing and harvest details are on the Planting Guide tab.)

Attributes

  • Native Range: NW coast; marshes, wet meadows, tidal edges1
  • USDA Zones: ~7–93
  • Light: Full sun to part shade1
  • Water: Moist to wet1
  • Soil: Rich, moist; tolerates wet ground1
  • Habit: Spreading perennial; tall rose-pink flower spires2
  • Edible: Young leaves & flowers (raw or cooked)4

References

  1. Native Foods Nursery field notes; CalScape, Sidalcea hendersonii.
  2. Pojar, J. & MacKinnon, A., Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast, 2014.
  3. USDA PLANTS Database, Sidalcea hendersonii.
  4. Moerman, D., Native American Ethnobotany, 1998.

Pot Sizing Guide

pot-sizes-sideview-optimized.jpg

Planting Guide: Henderson's Checkermallow (Sidalcea hendersonii)

Tip: Give it moist to wet, rich ground — unlike drier checkerblooms it likes damp feet, and by growing this uncommon native you help conserve a declining wetland wildflower.

When Your Plant Arrives

Open the box promptly and lift your plant out gently, holding the pot rather than the stem. Leave it in its biodegradable eco-pot for now — the roots are settled and don’t need disturbing yet. Give it a slow, thorough drink until water runs through the bottom, then set it somewhere bright but sheltered, out of harsh afternoon sun, drying wind, and frost. Let it rest and acclimate there for a few days before planting, so the move from our greenhouse to your garden is a gentle one. If anything doesn’t look right, please contact customer service within 7 days of delivery and we’ll take care of you.

Choosing a Site

Light: Full sun to part shade.

Soil & water: Rich and moist to wet.

Space: 12–18 in apart (it colonizes).

Planting Steps

Plant plugs in fall or spring into moist ground.

If it came in a biodegradable eco-pot, plant it pot and all — the pot is pressed from composted cow manure, so it melts into the soil and gives the young roots their first feed. No need to remove it.

Set at the depth they grew, firm, and water in.

Watering & Care

Establishment: Keep evenly moist.

After establishment: Likes steady moisture; low-care.

Maintenance: Cut back after bloom.

Protection

Wildlife: Nectar for native bees and butterflies.

Conservation: Rare/declining — growing it aids conservation.

Deer: May browse.

Harvest Basics

Season: Young leaves in spring; flowers early summer.

Use: Mild, pleasant leaves and flowers, raw or cooked — in salads and soups or cooked into dishes.