Malacothamnus jonesii

Jones's bush mallow

Family: Malvaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.3

Jones's bush mallow is a California native shrub found in the northern Coast Ranges and southern Coast Ranges in open chaparral and foothill woodland at elevations of 250 to 830 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces pink to lavender flowers in spike-like clusters. Growing up to 3.5 meters tall with a spreading habit, the shrub develops dense stellate hairs that completely cover its stems, making the surface nearly invisible without magnification. Its leaves are distinctively round to widely ovate, typically wider than long, with pale ashy-green surfaces and subtle 3 to 5 lobes near the rounded or wedge-shaped base. The plant's dense, star-shaped hairs and distinctive leaf shape make it a distinctive component of chaparral habitats.

Habitat: Open chaparral in foothill woodland

Bloom period: May-Jul

Elevation: 250-830 m.

Bioregions: NCoRI, SCoRO.

California counties: San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Yolo

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