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Similar to Gardening sheet malacothamnus clementinus
Similar to Gardening sheet malacothamnus clementinus (20)
Gardening sheet malacothamnus clementinus
- 1. San Clemente Island Bush Mallow – Malacothamnus clementinus
(ma-la-ko-THAM-nus klem-en-TIE-nus)
Family: Malvaceae (Mallow Family)
Native to: San Clemente Island; rocky canyon walls, coastal sage scrub and grasslands below 750'.
Listed as a national and state Endangered Species due to overgrazing.
Growth characteristics: spreading woody perennial mature height: 2-8 ft. mature width: to 8 ft.
Evergreen shrub with many ascending branches and hairy lobed leaves.
Plant expands by
underground runners or stolons. Lifespan: 5 years, but regenerates vegetatively and reseeds.
Blooms Mar-May; Flowers clustered on slender ascending stems, mallow-like, pinkwhite fading to purple-white. Showy, ‘hibiscus-like’. Flowers contrast well with leaves.
Blooms/fruits:
Uses in the garden: Wherever a showy spring shrub is warranted. Nice along walls, in backs of
beds, along walks or roadways, or with Toyon and Sugar Bush (with which it grows in nature).
Sensible substitute for: Non-native mallows, including dwarf Hibiscus.
Excellent bird habitat: nectar provides food for hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.
Forage (caterpillar) source for the West Coast Lady and Western Checkered Skipper butterflies.
Attracts:
Requirements:
Element
Sun
Soil
Water
Fertilizer
Other
Requirement
Full sun or part-shade
Any texture or local pH
Little once established
Little of none
Plant will increase by seedlings and new shoots, which can be removed in spring.
Benefits from cutting back every few years (when it starts looking raggedy – will stimulate new
growth). Will hybridize with other Malacothamnus species. Tends to migrate around the yard.
Management:
Propagation: from seed: yes; treat like other mallows
watered before taking divisions in Fall/winter.
shallow pot.
by divisions: be sure ground is wellTake a 6-12 inch segment of root. Pot into wide,
Plant/seed sources (see list for source numbers): 1, 8, 11, 13, 14, 24
12/9/10
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