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Flannel Bush
Fremontodendron californicum
  
About Flannel Bush (Fremontodendron californicum) 48 Nurseries Carry This Plant Best known for its spectacular bright yellow flowers during spring blooming season, Flannel Bush (Fremontodendron californicum) is an eye-catching large evergreen shrub. The vibrant blooms attract bees and butterflies. This plant gets its name from fuzzy hairs that cover its leaves. These hairs can be an irritant to eyes and skin.

Flannel Bush has unique moisture and site-selection requirements. In its natural environment, it grows in sandy or chalky soil, about 10 feet away from a water source. In the garden, plant it at a similar distance from any type of irrigation. It is fast growing, and under ideal conditions, it can reach 20 feet tall and 20 feet wide in five years.

It is notably intolerant of summer water and should stay dry, even when it looks like it needs water. Supplemental irrigation that's too close to a Flannel Bush can kill it. This plant depends on its long roots to reach moisture at a distance, so be sure to plant it near other low-moisture plants.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Plant Type
Shrub

Size
Size
6 - 20 ft tall
20 ft wide

Form
Form
Upright, Mounding, Rounded, Spreading, Upright Columnar

Growth Rate
Growth Rate
Fast, Moderate

Dormancy
Dormancy
Evergreen

Fragrance
Fragrance
None, Slight

Flower Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Orange

Flowering Season
Flowering Season
Summer, Spring

Wildlife Supported
 
Bees, butterflies

 
Butterflies & moths hosted ( 1 confirmed , 2 likely * ) SHOW ALL

Landscaping Information
Sun
Sun
Full Sun

Moisture
Moisture
Low

Summer Irrigation
Summer Irrigation
Never irrigate once established

Nurseries
Nurseries

Ease of Care
Ease of Care
Moderately Easy

Cold Tolerance
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to 20° F

Soil Drainage
Soil Drainage
Fast

Soil Description
Soil Description
Sandy, gravelly, rocky or chalky, very well draining soils... Tolerates Serpentine Soil. Soil PH: 6 - 8

Common uses
Common uses
Hedges, Deer Resistant, Bee Gardens

Companion Plants
Companion Plants
California Sycamore, Blue Elderberry, Oak, Manzanita species

Maintenance
Maintenance
Few problems with pests.. Avoid hard pruning. Cutting into the wood will often kill this plant..

Propagation
Propagation?
Seeds normally require fire to germinate in nature, but it can also be germinated by soaking in boiling hot water then refrigerating for 3 months before planting.

Sunset Zones
Sunset Zones?
4, 5, 6, 7*, 8*, 9*, 10, 11, 12, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*

Natural Setting
Site Type
Site Type
Dry sandy washes or fast-draining rocky or chalky hill sides. Near the coast, it is found in chaparral. In inland mountains, it may be found as part of yellow pine (Ponderosa) woodland. In more arid high desert areas, it may occur with pinon/juniper woodland.

Climate
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 5.8" - 67.6", Summer Precipitation: 0.15" - 2.68", Coldest Month: 28.2" - 55.0", Hottest Month: 49.8" - 83.5", Humidity: 0.46" - 34.30", Elevation: 43" - 10807"

Alternative Names
Botanical Names: Fremontodendron californicum ssp. californicum;Fremontodendron californicum ssp. napensis;Fremontodendron californicum ssp. californicum;Fremontodendron californicum ssp. napensis,Fremontodendron californicum ssp. californicum
Common Names: Flannelbush California Flannelbush


Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links:   Jepson eFlora Taxon Page  CalPhotos  Wikipedia  Calflora


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