Fremontodendron: Planting, Pruning and Care

Botany

[plant_sheet latin_name=”Latin name: Fremontodendron” family=”Family: Sterculiaceae (or Malvaceae)” common_names=”Common names: California flannelbush, Fremont’s bush” flowering=”Flowering: from April-May to July, and in September-October” height=”Height: 3 to 5 m” exposure=”Exposure: Full sun” soil=”Soil: light, sandy, calcareous, poor” hardiness=”Hardiness: Down to -10 to -12°C” bgcolor=”#eded15″ alignment=”left” /]

Fremontodendron is a semi-woody bush native to North America, particularly the warm states of California and Arizona. Due to its robustness as well as its resistance to drought and air pollution, it is often planted along roadsides and busy highways there. It also grows naturally on slopes, in scrub vegetation, and maquis… Suffice to say, it’s hardly demanding in suitable climates.

Named Fremontia or Fremont’s bush, this shrub is classified either in the Sterculiaceae family or, more rarely, in the Malvaceae family. In any case, it takes its name from American General John Charles Frémont (1813-1890), who was the first Republican Party candidate for President of the United States. A staunch opponent of slavery, he was also a great explorer of the American West. During these expeditions, as a passionate botanist, he catalogued and collected many plants, including the Fremontodendron which pays homage to him.

The Fremontodendron genus includes only two species, Fremontodendron californicum, the most widespread in cultivation, and Fremontodendron mexicanum, native to northwestern Mexico, listed among endangered species in California. The latter offers orange-yellow flowering.

This evergreen shrub can reach a height of 2 to 5 m with a spread of 2 to 3 m in our latitudes. In its natural habitat, it can grow up to 9 m tall. With fairly rapid growth, Fremontodendron has semi-woody shoots that arch easily to climb if given support against a wall. Lacking an attachment system (thorns, suckers, tendrils…) like most climbing plants, Fremontodendron will therefore need to be trained as it grows, for example using stretched wires. If not grown against a wall, it can be treated as a bush provided it is cut back in the first few years to encourage branching and develop a more compact, upright habit. These shoots are covered with scaly bark ranging from greyish to dark brown.

Fremontodendron has evergreen foliage, usually dark green on the upper surface and light green underneath. The leaves, palmatilobate and alternate, visually quite similar to those of grapevines, take on a light brown colour underneath due to the hairs covering them. They measure 5 to 7 cm in diameter. The petiole is also pubescent, as are the young stems.

The undersides of the leaves and flower buds of Fremontodendron are irritating

As for flowering, it is attractive for its beautiful golden yellow colour that brightens all gardens with luminosity and brilliance. The flowers, emerging from ovoid, downy flower buds, are solitary and axillary. They form a flat cup 4 to 6 cm in diameter. They have 5 large obovate sepals, shiny and waxy in appearance, rather rounded with a pointed tip that overlap. 5 yellow stamens with slightly darker anthers emerge from the flower’s centre. The flowers typically bloom from April-May to July. In mild climates, they may rebloom in September and October. Particularly melliferous and nectariferous, these bright yellow flowers invite swarms of insects to feast on nectar and pollen. They also have a delicate fragrance.

The flowers give way to fruits in the form of downy capsules filled with black seeds. These fruits are nestled within the sepals.

The seed capsules of Fremontodendron

It should be noted that the hairs covering the foliage, flower buds and young shoots can cause skin, eye and respiratory irritation as well as contact dermatitis. When pruning Fremontodendron, it is therefore obligatory to wear gloves and long-sleeved clothing.

Our favourite varieties

[product sku=”9589″ blog_description=”This is the most common variety of Fremontodendron, covered in lovely golden-yellow flowers in spring and early autumn. Highly versatile, it can be grown as a bush with an upright, rounded habit or trained against a wall” template=”listing1″ /]

[product sku=”P-7459-12433″ blog_description=”This hybrid Fremontodendron is a remarkable bush with orange-yellow flowering in May and June, sometimes recurring in early autumn” template=”listing1″ /]

Planting

Where to Plant Fremontodendron?

Due to the irritating nature of its leaves, young shoots and flower buds, it is best to plant Fremontodendron in a location away from any daily foot traffic. Similarly, children should be kept at a distance from this otherwise easy-going bush.

Ideally, if you wish to train it, position it against a south or southwest-facing wall or fence. Here it will benefit from the full sun required for its growth. Moreover, its bright yellow flowering will appear even more luminous. You’ll need to install a sturdy support system on the wall, using wire and hooks. If you prefer to grow it as a bush, it can be planted at the back of a border or as a standalone feature to fully showcase its golden-yellow flowering. Fremontodendron can also be grown in pots or containers on a large balcony, terrace or patio. Wherever it is planted, it must be sheltered from the coldest winds.

A trained Fremontodendron

It will need light, ordinary, neutral or alkaline soil, which can be poor, even sandy or stony. The key is that it must be perfectly drained, as Fremontodendron particularly dislikes winter waterlogging, which can cause its roots to rot.

Fremontodendron is highly drought-resistant once established, as well as tolerant of coastal conditions. Additionally, it has relatively low hardiness. This is why it thrives particularly well along the Mediterranean coast and the Atlantic seaboard. Brittany offers all the right conditions.

When to Plant Fremontodendron?

Fremontodendron is best planted in spring, between April and May, so it has time to establish roots before winter.

How to Plant Fremontodendron?

• Prepare the soil by loosening it well
• Soak the root ball for 15 minutes in a bucket of water to ease removal from the pot
• Dig a hole twice the size of the root ball
• Place a layer of gravel at the bottom of the hole for drainage
• Position the Fremontodendron in the hole
• Optionally mix some compost with the excavated soil and backfill the hole
• Firm down and water generously.

Container cultivation isn’t necessarily easy but is possible. Your Fremontodendron will need a wide, well-drained pot (at least 50 cm in diameter) or large container, with a good layer of gravel at the base and filled with equal parts compost and sand.

Maintenance and pruning

Once planted, the Fremontodendron requires no particular maintenance, being drought-resistant as it is. It is even advisable not to water it at all and therefore to keep it away from automatic watering systems or downpipes. That said, for the first two years, it will be necessary to provide it with a little water, especially during the flowering period, but without excess to avoid drowning the root system.

A bit sensitive to cold, the Fremontodendron may need a good mulching to protect it from the cold. Similarly, a winter fleece cover can be installed if frost is forecast.

If the Fremontodendron is trained against a support, it is essential to tie the branches as they grow. On the other hand, pruning is unnecessary, though you can remove damaged or dead branches. If grown as a bush, pruning becomes crucial to encourage branching from the base. This pruning takes place after flowering, around September. Don’t forget your gloves and long sleeves for this task.

→ Learn more with our tutorial: How to Train and Prune the Fremontodendron?

The Fremontodendron is not susceptible to any parasites or diseases.

Propagation: by cuttings and sowing

With a relatively short lifespan, the Fremontodendron will need to be propagated to ensure its longevity. Two more or less random methods can be considered.

Stem propagation by cuttings

This semi-hardwood stem propagation by cuttings takes place in summer, between July and September.

• Prepare pots filled with light potting compost and sand
• Take semi-hardwood cuttings, i.e. current year’s growth, without flowers, 15 cm long
• Remove the lower leaves, keeping only two
• Plant the stems in the substrate
• Firm gently with your fingers and water lightly without saturating the substrate
• Place the pots outdoors in the shade.

In October, the cuttings are placed under a cold frame. In spring, the cuttings will be planted in buckets to spend a year there. They will be planted out in the ground the following spring.

Sowing seeds

• Collect the seeds from the capsules at the end of flowering, i.e. between September and October
• Store them in the refrigerator or in sand outdoors
• In spring, fill buckets with a mixture of special sowing compost and sand
• Soak the seeds in water for 24 hours
• Place the seeds on the surface and cover with a layer of sieved compost
• Mist lightly
• Place the buckets in a room at 19°C

The substrate should remain moist but not waterlogged.

Uses and Associations

Fremontodendron is an easy-to-train bush, perfect for climbing along a brick wall or wooden fence. Its yellow flowering will create a stunning effect. It pairs beautifully with perennial plants featuring mauve or violet flowers planted at its base. Fremontodendron works particularly well with lavender, Siberian irises, and thyme, which thrive under the same growing conditions. You could also plant an Pittosporum tenuifolium with yellow-green foliage such as ‘Gold Star’ or ‘Golden Ball’.

For more pairing ideas, check out Éric’s article: combining Fremontodendron.