Perennial of the Malvaceae family, native to the Great Plains of central United States, from South Dakota to Texas and New Mexico. It grows there in dry prairies, sandy banks, and well-exposed rocky areas, on poor and very well-drained soils.
It develops a spreading and creeping habit, its flexible stems can extend 60 to 90 cm from a powerful, fleshy taproot that allows it to withstand the most severe droughts. The height in bloom rarely exceeds 20 to 30 cm. The leaves are deeply cut into palmate lobes, of a medium green, carried by long petioles.
The flowers, solitary and borne on long erect peduncles, are of a bright magenta to crimson-purple, with a small, well-defined white central area at the heart of the corolla. This intense and warm color, unusual in the Malvaceae family for a dry habitat plant, is the most immediately striking feature of the species.
In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from May to July. In cultivation, it can bloom from May to September with a well-sunny exposure.
It requires a very drained soil, dry to moderately fresh, in full sun. It perfectly withstands summer heat and drought, but dreads stagnant winter humidity. Hardy to -20°C in well-drained soil.