Malacothamnus fremontii
Unfurled bushmallow
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Malvaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Malacothamnus fremontii (Unfurled bushmallow) is a native California shrub in the Malvaceae family, recognized by corolla drying open rather than closed.
Unfurled bushmallow is a California native shrub found in northern California regions including the Sierra Nevada foothills, northern Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, and coastal areas at elevations of 600 to 1,300 meters in open chaparral to pine woodland. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces pale pink to white flowers in spike-like clusters with petals up to two centimeters long. Growing as a shrub up to 6 meters tall, it spreads occasionally by rhizomes and features densely stellate-hairy stems that are sometimes visible through the hair covering. Its leaves are rounded to widely ovate, typically unlobed or with 3 to 7 subtle rounded lobes, with ashy green to light green surfaces and a distinctively textured appearance. The plant's branches are covered in intricate stellate hairs, giving it a soft, textured appearance that helps distinguish it in its native habitats.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 18 sympatric species; key feature is corolla drying open rather than closed
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open chaparral to pine woodland
Elevation: 600-1300 m.
California counties: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern, Contra Costa, Inyo, Tulare, Colusa, Riverside, Santa Barbara, Fresno, Ventura, Amador, Alameda, Calaveras, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Sutter, Monterey, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Madera, Glenn, Tehama, Napa, Yolo, Lake, Merced, Solano, Shasta, San Luis Obispo
Bloom period
Malacothamnus fremontii blooms May-Jul.
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
Is Malacothamnus fremontii native to California?
Yes. Malacothamnus fremontii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Malacothamnus fremontii bloom?
Malacothamnus fremontii blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Malacothamnus fremontii grow?
Malacothamnus fremontii occurs in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern, Contra Costa, Inyo, Tulare, Colusa, Riverside and other counties, at elevations of 600-1300 m..
What plant family does Malacothamnus fremontii belong to?
Malacothamnus fremontii is in the Malvaceae family, genus Malacothamnus.
What habitat does Malacothamnus fremontii grow in?
Malacothamnus fremontii grows in Open chaparral to pine woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- 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
- Malacothamnus jonesii var. jonesii — Jones's bushmallow
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-08
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.