English: Purple poppy-mallow; Poppy Mallow.
Region: central N. America, Wyoming to Minnesota, Indiana, south to northern Mexico, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas
Habitat: dry soils on the plains; sandy, eroding dry ground, roadsides; plains, prairies, waste places, along roads; elevations from 200 to 1500 metres; hardy to about -15°c; prefers a light, rich, sandy, well-drained loam and a sunny position, hot dry position, dry sunny bank; drought tolerant.
Ecology: slugs are strongly attracted
BotanyHerb; perennial; 15 to 25 cm tall.
Root: thick, long, tapering, tuberous taproot; strongly resents root disturbance.
Stem: procumbent, forming a mat, around 100 cm in diameter.
Use as a food and a medicinal; ornamental, attractive flowers and long flowering season; root, cooked, sweet, starchy, with a pleasant taste like sweet potato; leaves, cooked, mucilaginous texture, for thickening soups.