Fremontodendron californicum, with the common namesCalifornia flannelbush,California fremontia, andflannel bush,[1] is a flowering shrub native to diverse habitats in southwestern North America.
The plant is a flowering evergreen hardwoodshrub or small multi-trunked tree, growing from 2.4–5.5 metres (8–18 ft) in height and 1.8–3.0 m (6–10 ft) in width.
The 1–5 cm (3⁄8–2 in)leaves are olive to gray−green, fuzzy and flannel-like, palmately to pinnately lobed. The hairs covering the leaves are easily brushed off in human contact, and can be a skin and eye irritant. The bottom sides of the leaves are distinct with a velvety brown coating.[2]
The large flowers are3.5–6 cm (1+1⁄2–2+1⁄4 in) in diameter, a rich yellow, sometimes with orange, coppery, or reddish margins surrounding the base.[3] Their blossoms are borne in great showy masses, and tend to bloom one at a time. Each petal has an attractive, curved shape that comes to a point.
A decumbent and low spreading form, 0.91 m (3 ft) in height and 1.8 m (6 ft) in width, has yellow-orange flowers, and isendemic to theSierra Nevada foothills, nearly all of the individuals of this subspecies are found in thePine Hill Ecological Reserve inEl Dorado County. In nature it only grows in metal-richgabbro soil, a red weathered soil ofvolcanic origin. It requires fire for seed germination, but as the nature reserve is near human settlementsfire ecology is suppressed. It is a federally listedendangered species.
F. californicum (ssp.napensis) – Napa Fremontia
Fremontodendron californicum ssp.californicum – California fremontia: now reclassified as the species,Fremontodendron californicum.[10]
Fremontodendron californicum ssp.napensis –Napa Fremontia: The current Jepson does not recognize this subspecies, usingFremontodendron californicum, but the form is different enough that it is horticulturally recognized by this name. It is typically smaller and more open in form than the species, with much smaller leaves and flowers. It grows 1.8–4.6 m (6–15 ft) in height and 1.2–3.7 m (4–12 ft) in width.[11]
Fremontodendron is named for Major GeneralJohn Charles Frémont (1813–90), an explorer of western North America.Californicum means 'from California'.[12]Dendron means 'tree'.
Cultivated plants need good drainage, and no supplemental summer water when established.Fremontodendron californicum ssp.decumbens is the most garden tolerant of allFremontia, and can also be used in large pots and planters.[18]
There are several named hybrids ofFremontodendron californicum andF. mexicanum in the horticultural trade, they include:
Fremontodendron 'California Glory' — lemon-yellow flowers with a reddish tinge, grows 6.1 m (20 ft) in height by 6.1 m (20 ft) in width. It is the winner of theAward of Garden Merit from the California Horticultural Society in 1965, and received a First Class Certificate from theRoyal Horticultural Society in 1967.[19]
Fremontodendron 'Ken Taylor' — golden flowers with a darker orange outside petals in the spring and summer, and grows to only 1.5 m (5 ft) in height by 2.4–3.0 m (8–10 ft) in width.[20]
Fremontodendron 'Dara's Gold' — golden flowers over a long period from late winter through early summer, grows 0.91 m (3 ft) in height by 1.8–2.4 m (6–8 ft) in width. A hybrid betweenFremontodendron decumbens andFremontodendron mexicanum.[21]
Fremontodendron 'San Gabriel'— 3.0–5.5 m (10–18 ft) in height by 2.4–3.7 m (8–12 ft) in width, suitable for anespalier.[22]
As a traditional Native American medicinal plant, the inner bark's sap that was used as a topical remedy formucous membrane irritation and for gastrointestinal upset, by some of theindigenous peoples of California.[23] The wood was also used by the CalifornianYokuts andKawaiisu peoples as a building and furniture material, and the bark forcordage and for nets used in acorn cache holding and snare hunting.[23] It contributed cultural significance as Indigenous communities utilized the flexible nature of the wood to crafthoop-and-pole game materials.[2]
Media related toFremontodendron californicum at Wikimedia Commons