Fremontodendron californicum (California Flannelbush)
Botanical name: Fremontodendron californicum
Common names: California Flannelbush, California Fremontia
Family: Malvaceae
Origin: California
USDA Zone: 6-10
Plant form: Large bush
Mature height: 5-10 ft
Sun exposure: Full sun or bright light indoor; semi-shade
Cold tolerance: Tolerates light freezing to about 30°F for short periods (mature plants). Young plants must be protected.
Watering: Moderate
Flower color: Yellow, orange
Suitable for: Outdoors in the suitable USDA zone; small gardens, containers, and indoor growing
Ethnomedical: Ethnomedical plant, traditionally used in folk or indigenous medicineFremontodendron 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.
Similar plants: Fremontodendron californicum (California Flannelbush)
