Sep 16, 2025
Here's a plant that you're not likely to see outside of the Southwestern US or Baja California: Malacothamnus, the bush mallow. Although fairly recognizable at the genus level, they're extremely hard to ID to species. They're typically found in very early successional areas that have experienced recent fire. This plant, from the San Gorgonio wilderness, was growing in an area heavily burned in the 2016 Valley Fire.
Because several species of Malacothamnus are endangered and as a whole they're so challenging to tell apart, it's best to avoid disturbing them, whenever possible.
