Yellow-stem bush-mallow
Malacothamnus densiflorus
Last reviewed: September 2026
Toxicity unknown
Yellow-stem bush-mallow (Malacothamnus densiflorus) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
36"–96" H × 36"–72" W
Bloom
May, Jun, Jul
Native to
CA
Pollinators
bees
Before you buy
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A rare, upright bush mallow with soft, felty gray-green leaves and clusters of pale pink to rose five-petaled flowers along the stems. Naturally restricted to a narrow range on dry chaparral slopes, resprouting readily after fire.
Wildlife value
Flowers provide summer nectar for native bees, including bush mallow specialist bees that depend on this genus.
Common questions
- How much sun does Yellow-stem bush-mallow need?
- Yellow-stem bush-mallow grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Yellow-stem bush-mallow bloom?
- Yellow-stem bush-mallow blooms in May, June, and July.
- Where is Yellow-stem bush-mallow native?
- Yellow-stem bush-mallow (Malacothamnus densiflorus) is native to CA, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- What pollinators does Yellow-stem bush-mallow attract?
- Yellow-stem bush-mallow draws bees.
Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Yellow-stem bush-mallow? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
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