Fremontodendron mexicanum ‘San Gabriel Flannel Bush’ — Golden velvet for rugged places.

A sun worshiper cloaked in fuzzy silver leaves and drenched in deep yellow blooms. This California native turns dry hillsides into living tapestries — spectacular, untamed, and unapologetically wild.

Plant Details:

• Water Needs: Very low once established; no summer irrigation

• Sun Needs: Full sun

• Soil Requirements: Rocky, sharply drained soil

• Growing Zone: USDA Zones 8–10

• Cold Hardiness: To ~20°F

• Mature Size: 8–12 ft tall × 10–15 ft wide

• Native Origin: Southern California & Baja California

• Best Substitutes For: Arctostaphylos ‘Dr. Hurd,’ Ceanothus ‘Yankee Point’

• Landscape Uses: Dry slopes, native gardens, erosion control