Fremontodendron
| Flannelbush | |
|---|---|
 |
|
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Fremontodendron 'Ken Taylor' (F. californicum × F. mexicanum') |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Malvaceae |
| Genus: |
Fremontodendron Coville |
| Species | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Fremontia Torr. nom. illeg. |
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Fremontia Torr. nom. illeg.
Fremontodendron, with the common names fremontia, flannelbush, and flannel bush, is a genus of three known species of shrubs native to the Southwestern United States and Northwest Mexico.
They are within the botanical family Malvaceae. Formerly they were treated within the Sterculiaceae, tribe Fremontodendreae, together with the genus Chiranthodendron. The genus Fremontodendron was named in dedication to John C. Frémont, who first collected it during an 1846 expedition to Alta California.
The leaves have a leathery and fuzzy texture reminiscent of flannel (thus the name), and the yellow to orange flowers are large and showy. The leaves and young shoots can cause skin and eye irritation.
There are three species:
There are a number of populations of uncertain taxonomy status. They include:
Fremontodendrons are cultivated as ornamental plants. They are valued for their bright yellow flowers, produced over a long period on a rapidly growing shrub or small tree. They are tolerant of pruning for size or shaping. They are adapted to dry, poor soils in a summer-dry, warm, sunny climate. They may succumb to root rot in heavy clay soils and/or summer irrigation.
The three species and varied hybrids/cultivars are used in native plant, water-conserving, and wildlife gardens in California. They are also planted in gardens in England.
There are several named hybrids of Fremontodendron californicum and Fremontodendron mexicanum in the horticultural trade, they include:
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Wikipedia