Name: Abutilon palmeri (Palmer’s Indian Mallow, Superstition Mallow, Indian Mallow).
Plant Community: Creosote Bush Scrub.
Description: This evergreen, rounded shrub is great for hot, sunny slopes and dry gardens. Native to the Sonoran Desert, it is heat tolerant and features soft, velvety gray foliage with bright orange flowers that bloom pretty much year round. It can grow up to five feet tall and five feet wide.
Plant Type: Perennial herb.
Container: Yes.
Pollinators: Birds and butterflies.
Water Requirements: Low.
Sun Requirements: Full to part sun.
Soil Type: Any; preferably well-draining soil.
Maintenance: Cut back and deadhead spent flowers.
Why we love this plant: Its orange blooms remind me of an Orange Julius. It’s stunning, it’s easy to grow, hummingbirds and butterflies love it, and it continually produces bright, golden flowers. What’s not to love?
Where to find:
NorCal: Cal Flora Nursery, Annie’s Annuals, Bay Natives, East Bay Wilds Native Plant Nursery.
SoCal: Theodore Payne, Plant Material, Fig Earth Supply, Tree of Life Nursery, Artemisia.