Gardening Plant Encyclopedia Shrub California Flannel Bush By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Instagram Viveka Neveln is the Garden Editor at BHG and a degreed horticulturist with broad gardening expertise earned over 3+ decades of practice and study. She has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing for both print and digital media. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on September 22, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email This native plant is blanketed with showy yellow blossoms in spring. Notably drought-tolerant, California flannel bush thrives in hot, dry climates and fast-draining soil. It has a somewhat wayward growth habit, sending out a mix of long and short fast-growing shoots. What it lacks in form and outline, it makes up for in flowering when it explodes with color in spring. Trim the tips of overly long shoots to promote branching, and remove lower branches to create a tree form. California flannel bush is a great shrub for hillsides, mixed borders, and rock gardens. Quick-draining soil is a must. California Flannel Bush Overview Genus Name Fremontodendron californicum Common Name California Flannel Bush Plant Type Shrub Light Part Sun, Sun Height 1 to 3 feet Width null to 10 feet Flower Color Yellow Season Features Spring Bloom Zones 10, 8, 9 Propagation Stem Cuttings Problem Solvers Drought Tolerant Varieties of California Flannel Bush 'Dara's Gold' Flannel Bush Fremontodendron 'Dara's Gold' is a low-growing selection of flannel bush. It grows 3 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide. Use it to anchor a hillside. Zones 8-10 'El Dorado Gold' Flannel Bush Fremontodendron 'El Dorado Gold', a shoulder-high evergreen shrub, is a good choice for an informal hedge in hot, dry climates. It grows 4 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Plant in zones 8-10. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit