Malacothamnus foliosus
Ensenada bushmallow
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Family: Malvaceae · Type: Shrub
Malacothamnus foliosus (Ensenada bushmallow) is a California shrub in the Malvaceae family, recognized by no sympatric species.
Ensenada bushmallow is a naturalized shrub found in early-recovering post-burn woody vegetation and edges of openings at an elevation of 420 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces flowers with petals up to approximately 2 centimeters long. Growing as a shrub up to 2.5 meters tall, it occasionally spreads by rhizomes and features sparsely to densely stellate-hairy stems with surface sometimes visible through the hairs. Its leaf blades are roughly round to widely ovate, obscurely to moderately 3 to 5-lobed, with ashy green to bright green surfaces and slightly paler undersides. The plant's bracts are awl-shaped or oblong, sometimes curved, with calyx lobes ranging from 4.5 to 13.5 millimeters long and lance-ovate to widely ovate in shape.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; no sympatric species
Habitat and range
Habitat: Early-recovering post-burn woody vegetation, edges of openings, some plants occasionally persisting into more mature vegetation stages
Elevation: 420 m
Outside California: native to northern Baja California
Bloom period
Malacothamnus foliosus blooms (Mar)Apr-May(Jun).
How to tell it apart
vs Sphaeralcea: Malacothamnus has flowers clustered in leaf axils; Sphaeralcea has flowers in an elongated spike-like arrangement.; vs Sidalcea: Malacothamnus is a woody shrub in chaparral; Sidalcea is herbaceous in meadows and moist areas.; vs Malva: Malacothamnus is a native chaparral shrub with axillary clusters; Malva is a weedy herb with flowers along stems.; vs Ribes: Malacothamnus has mallow flowers with fused stamens; Ribes has tubular flowers and produces berries.; vs Brickellia: Malacothamnus has 5-petaled mallow flowers; Brickellia has fuzzy composite flower heads without petals.
Frequently asked questions
When does Malacothamnus foliosus bloom?
Malacothamnus foliosus blooms (Mar)Apr-May(Jun).
What plant family does Malacothamnus foliosus belong to?
Malacothamnus foliosus is in the Malvaceae family, genus Malacothamnus.
What habitat does Malacothamnus foliosus grow in?
Malacothamnus foliosus grows in Early-recovering post-burn woody vegetation, edges of openings, some plants occasionally persisting into more mature vegetation stages.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Malacothamnus fremontii — Unfurled bushmallow
- Malacothamnus fremontii var. exfibulosus — Short-haired unfurled bushmallow
- Malacothamnus fremontii var. fremontii — Long-haired unfurled bushmallow
- Malacothamnus involucratus — Carmel valley bushmallow
- Malacothamnus jonesii — Jones's bush mallow
- Malacothamnus jonesii var. gracilis — Huasna bushmallow
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.