Hibiscus lasiocarpos var. occidentalis

Woolly rose-mallow

Family: Malvaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Woolly rose-mallow is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in the Central Valley deltaic region, northern Sierra Nevada foothills, and Sacramento Valley in freshwater wetlands and marshy areas at elevations below 100 meters. Flowering from July to November, this plant produces large white flowers with a rose-red center, 6 to 10 centimeters wide, blooming individually in leaf axils. Growing with multiple stems from 1 to 2 meters tall, ranging from prostrate to erect and covered in dense stellate hairs, it forms a subshrub with rhizomatous growth. Its heart-shaped leaves are 6 to 10 centimeters long, shallowly 3 to 5-lobed, with dense stellate hairs on both surfaces and prominently toothed edges. The fruit is a hairy, nearly spherical capsule 2.5 to 3 centimeters long that completely fills the bell-shaped calyx.

Habitat: Freshwater wetlands, wet banks, marshes

Bloom period: Jul-Nov

Elevation: < 100 m

Bioregions: CaRF, c&amps ScV, deltaic GV.

California counties: Colusa, Contra Costa, Riverside, San Joaquin, Solano, Butte, Sutter, Glenn, Yolo, Sacramento

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.