Description

San Clemente Island is the most southern of California’s Channel Islands. In this warm, dry climate several plant species have evolved which are found nowhere else, among them San Clemente Island chicory, Munzothamnus blairii, and San Clemente Island triteleia, Trileleia clementina. The removal of introduced goats from the island has allowed these species to thrive after many decades of scarce survival. San Clemente Island bush mallow has been found in just a few rocky dry canyons, where the goats were presumably excluded by the difficult terrain. In these lean settings the plant grows sparsely as a patch of upright stems with large silvery green leaves. The spring blossoms are largely white with a pink blush. Like many members of this genus, this bush mallow explodes with growth when placed in a fertile, mild site. The plant spreads in all directions via rhizomes and blooms very generously for several weeks. Temperatures in the low thirties and thirty inches of annual rainfall does not seem to bother this plant at all. San Clemente Island bush mallow has done quite well in average soil and full sun in Santa Clara County.