Malacothamnus fasciculatus var. nesioticus

Santa cruz island bushmallow, Santa Cruz Island Bush-Mallow

Family: Malvaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1 · Endangered

Santa cruz island bushmallow is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native shrub found in northern Channel Islands on Santa Cruz Island in early-recovering post-burn woody vegetation at elevations of 0 to 250 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces pale pink to white flowers in panicle-like clusters with petals up to 2 centimeters long. Growing as a spreading shrub up to 3 meters tall with distinctive stellate hairs, it develops extensive rhizome networks. Its leaves are bright green with obscure to moderate 3 to 5 rounded or acute lobes, featuring bases that range from truncate to cordate with varying stellate hair densities. The shrub's delicate bractlets near the calyx are occasionally red with green, adding to its unique botanical character.

Habitat: Early-recovering post-burn woody vegetation, edges of openings, some plants occasionally persisting into more mature vegetation stages

Bloom period: Apr-May(Jul)

Elevation: 0-250 m

Bioregions: n ChI (Santa Cruz Island).

California counties: Santa Barbara

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