Fremontodendron californicum
California Flannelbush, California FremontiaFamily: Malvaceae
Origin: California
Fremontodendron californicum, also known as the California Flannelbush, is a large shrub that can grow up to 5-10 ft tall. It is an ornamental plant that produces an abundance of yellow and orange flowers and is commonly grown in USDA Zone 6-10. It is also an ethnomedical plant, and its leaves and bark are used to treat various ailments.
The plant is a flowering evergreen hardwood shrub or small multi-trunked tree. The leaves are olive to gray-green, fuzzy and flannel-like, palmately to pinnately lobed. The large flowers are a rich yellow, sometimes with orange, coppery, or reddish margins.
This plant prefers to grow in full sun to semi-shade but prefers light shade in hot inland climates. It can tolerate a wide range of soils but prefers well-drained conditions and deep loam soils. It grows best in light, sandy soil.
If grown in cold climates, Fremontodendron californicum can survive if grown in a pot. Potted shrubs should be kept in sunny areas but during winter, the plant should be kept in partially shaded areas and given a little extra water.
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