Malacothamnus orbiculatus
Tehachapi bushmallow
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Family: Malvaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Malacothamnus orbiculatus (Tehachapi bushmallow) is a native California shrub in the Malvaceae family, recognized by round leaves and stalked stellate hairs.
Tehachapi bushmallow is a California native shrub found in the southern Sierra Nevada, Transverse Ranges, and Desert Mountains in early-recovering post-burn areas and woodland edges at elevations of 180 to 2,760 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces pale flowers with petals up to 2 centimeters long in spike-like clusters. Growing as a compact shrub up to 2.5 meters tall with stellate-hairy stems that are sparsely to densely covered in branching hairs. Its leaves are nearly round to widely ovate, often unlobed or with subtle 3 to 5 rounded lobes, appearing ashy to bright green with distinctive stellate hair coverage. The shrub often persists in early successional habitats and has a notable ability to regenerate after disturbances like wildfire.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 16 sympatric species; distinguished by round leaves and stalked stellate hairs
Habitat and range
Habitat: Early-recovering post-burn woody vegetation, edges of openings, some plants occasionally persisting into more mature vegetation stages
Elevation: 180-2760 m
California counties: Kern, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura, Inyo, Tulare, Riverside, Madera, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara
Outside California: Arizona
Bloom period
Malacothamnus orbiculatus blooms (Apr)May-Jul(Oct).
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 orbiculatus native to California?
Yes. Malacothamnus orbiculatus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Malacothamnus orbiculatus bloom?
Malacothamnus orbiculatus blooms (Apr)May-Jul(Oct).
Where in California does Malacothamnus orbiculatus grow?
Malacothamnus orbiculatus occurs in Kern, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura, Inyo, Tulare, Riverside, Madera and other counties, at elevations of 180-2760 m.
What plant family does Malacothamnus orbiculatus belong to?
Malacothamnus orbiculatus is in the Malvaceae family, genus Malacothamnus.
What habitat does Malacothamnus orbiculatus grow in?
Malacothamnus orbiculatus 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.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.