Fremontodendron californicum 'Pacific Sunset'

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Key characteristics

Family: Malvaceae
Height: 10 to 15 feet
Width: 10 to 15 feet
Flower color: Large bright golden yellow saucer shaped flowers with numerous yellow stamens
Foliage color: Dark green to gray green leathery leaves with a softly felted underside
Bloom time: Mid spring to early summer
Light: Full sun
Water: Low; drought tolerant once established
Maintenance: Low; prune lightly after flowering to shape plants and avoid excess moisture around the roots
Growing zone: USDA zones 8 to 10
Wildlife: Bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects

Shrubs

Fremontodendron californicum 'Pacific Sunset'

Pacific Sunset Flannel Bush

Fremontodendron californicum 'Pacific Sunset' produces large golden-yellow flowers in late spring through early summer, each bloom opening with broad petals surrounding a cluster of bright stamens. The blossoms appear freely along the branches, creating a vivid seasonal display. Evergreen leaves with softly lobed shapes and a velvety texture cover the stems, their gray-green surfaces giving the plant a soft, muted tone throughout the year.

This cultivar traces its heritage to Fremontodendron californicum native to California and parts of the American Southwest.

Light

Full sun

Water

Low; drought tolerant once established

Bloom time

Mid spring to early summer

Find this plant

Works well in

Sun Gardens
Waterwise Gardens
Mediterranean Gardens
Pollinator Gardens

Companion plants

Catmint · Feather reed grass · Salvias · Coneflowers · Lavenders · Sedums

Design tip

The combination of brilliant golden flowers and muted gray-green foliage gives ‘Pacific Sunset’ a distinctly warm, dry-garden character. Use stone or gravel nearby to echo its native landscape origins and provide a simple setting for the large flowers and softly textured evergreen leaves.

Printable plant sheet (PDF)