Pine Hill flannelbush

Fremontodendron californicum ssp. decumbens

Pine Hill flannelbush is a low-growing, often sprawling shrub, with many branches from the base. The leaves are fairly round to egg-shaped, roughly an inch long, and shallowly to deeply lobed. Short, soft hairs cover the leaves, which are dark green on top and pale green underneath. The flowers, which bloom along the younger branches, are one to two inches in diameter with five broad petal-like sepals that are a very rich yellow-orange to orange-red in color. The taller flannelbush that is often used commercially for landscaping is a close relative of Pine Hill flannelbush.

This plant is entirely confined to Pine Hill and the immediate vicinity of Pine Hill. Ongoing studies of the dwarf flannelbush populations that occur in similar habitats in Nevada, Yuba and Butte counties, have not yet established to what degree they are related to the Pine Hill flannelbush. Positive effects from periodic fire have been demonstrated for this species.

Listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act as endangered and with the Sate of California as rare.


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