Bush mallow is an open-branching perennial shrub growing to 15' tall with wand-like tomentose stellate-haired branches and densely-hairy leaves which are round to ovate in shape and 3-5 lobed.  Like other members of its family, the flowers of bush mallow have five petals and stamens with golden brown anthers fused into a central column surrounding the style.  The flowers appear in sessile clusters in the leaf axils and are pink to lavender in color.  This is a common shrub throughout chaparral and coastal sage scrub on dry slopes and fans to about 2500' and is often seen on disturbed ground and along roadsides.  It often forms large colonies and blooms from April to July.  These pictures were taken in Charmlee County Park in the Santa Monica Mts.

Click here for Latin name derivations: 1) Malacothamnus 2) fasciculatus.
Pronunciation: ma-la-ko-THAM-nus fa-sik-yoo-LAY-tus.
Click here for Botanical Term Meanings.