National Park Service Klamath Network Featured Creature U.S. Department of the Interior

Natural Resource Stewardship & Science Klamath Network California Flannelbush April 2016 Fremontodendron californicum

Field Notes Ecology Where Found in the Klamath Flannelbush is drought-tolerant and Network General Description prefers well-drained soils. This species is only found in The common name flannelbush comes Flannelbush is well-adapted to Whiskeytown NRA, but is not from the leaves’ soft flannel-like landscapes with recurring fires, common. appearance. But do not be fooled! The responding with abundant seed Ethnobotany leaves have tiny stellate hairs (middle production, prolific sprouting from the picture) on them that can easily break root crown, and rapid growth. Leaves are tough enough to have off when touched and irritate skin. The Individuals can reach maturity been used by early settlers to pad genus Fremontodendron is named for relatively quickly (usually within two their shoes (presumably after John C. Fremont, a military officer, years). Seeds can spread via animals knocking the leaf hairs off). As a western US explorer and plant or wind into fire-opened areas. traditional Native American medicinal collector, California senator, and plant, the inner bark's sap was used presidential candidate. Also called as a topical remedy for mucous Fremont’s tree, this woody plant has membrane irritation and an internal the growth form of a shrub or small remedy for gastrointestinal upset, by tree. Large, tree-like individuals can be some of the indigenous peoples of up to 30ft (10m) tall and 13in (33cm) in California. The Californian Yokut and diameter. Regarded by some as the Kawaiisu peoples used the wood for one of the most spectacular plants in building and furniture material; they California, this member of the plant also used the bark for cordage and family Malvaceae or Sterculiaceae nets for snare hunting and caching (depending on who you ask), has acorns. yellow (or sometimes red) flowers about 3in (7.5cm) wide (below). Blooms can be dramatic, with flowers Close-up view of tiny hairs on flannelbush so profuse they hide the leaves, giving leaves that give the plant a soft, fuzzy the appearance of only having yellow appearance. Photo: © 2003 Stewart R. Hinsley flowers (far right). This plant has been Habitat and Distribution documented to grow very fast during the spring, putting on 5-8ft (1.5-2.5m) Flannelbush grows in Mediterranean of height in good conditions. climates and is widespread in California along the coast range, Sierra Nevada, and southern mountain ranges. It is a characteristic plant of chaparral communities. Outside of California, it extends eastward into central Arizona and southward into northern Baja Photo: www.laspilitas.com California, Mexico. Over its range, More Information flannelbush is found on all topographic aspects in foothills and http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/pla low elevation mountains. In California nts/shrub/frecal/all.html

and northern Mexico, flannelbush Photo: 2015 Eugene Sturla http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/home_ often occurs on granitic slopes from blog/2011/02/stunning-flannel-bush- 3,000 to 6,000ft (900-1,800m). comes-with-prickly-problems.html

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICATM April 29, 2016