Malacothamnus marrubioides
Santa clarita bushmallow
(c) Lightning Star Sky / Skyler Noah Wall, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Malvaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Malacothamnus marrubioides (Santa clarita bushmallow) is a native California shrub in the Malvaceae family, recognized by very long, narrow bractlets that equal calyx length.
Santa clarita bushmallow is a California native shrub found in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, San Joaquin Valley, southern San Francisco Bay, western Transverse Ranges, San Gabriel Mountains, and Peninsular Ranges in early-recovering post-burn woody vegetation and edges of openings at elevations of 55 to 1,170 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces pale flowers with delicate petals up to 1.5 centimeters long. Growing as a compact shrub up to 2 meters tall, it spreads occasionally by rhizomes and is densely covered in stellate hairs that completely obscure the stem's surface. Its leaves are rounded to widely ovate, sometimes subtly 3 to 5-lobed, with surfaces ranging from ashy to bright green and a distinctive stellate hair coverage that is denser on the leaf undersides. The plant features linear to awl-shaped bracts surrounding its spike-like inflorescence, with green to partially red bractlets that add visual complexity to its structure.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 16 sympatric species; distinguished by very long, narrow bractlets that equal calyx length
Habitat and range
Habitat: Early-recovering post-burn woody vegetation, edges of openings, some plants occasionally persisting into more mature vegetation stages
Elevation: 55-1170 m
California counties: Los Angeles, Ventura, Kern, Inyo, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Alameda
Outside California: northwestern Baja California.
Bloom period
Malacothamnus marrubioides blooms (Apr)May-Jun(Jul).
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
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 marrubioides native to California?
Yes. Malacothamnus marrubioides is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Malacothamnus marrubioides bloom?
Malacothamnus marrubioides blooms (Apr)May-Jun(Jul).
Where in California does Malacothamnus marrubioides grow?
Malacothamnus marrubioides occurs in Los Angeles, Ventura, Kern, Inyo, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Alameda, at elevations of 55-1170 m.
What plant family does Malacothamnus marrubioides belong to?
Malacothamnus marrubioides is in the Malvaceae family, genus Malacothamnus.
Is Malacothamnus marrubioides rare or endangered?
Malacothamnus marrubioides carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.