Accession Count: 8
Common Name:
San Marcos hibiscus
Family Name:
Malvaceae
Botanical Name:
Gossypium harknessii
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
Forming a rounded mound to 3-4 feet tall by 5-6 feet wide, this shrub is evergreen with thick, heart-shaped glossy green leaves (1). Large yellow flowers with 5 distinctive red dots appear intermittently in the spring, early summer and fall months.
Compound:
Gos har
Geographic Origin:
Baja Mexico
Ecozone Origin:
Biome Origin:
Desert
Natural History:
This plant is one of few species of wild cotton that are native to the Southwest. Although it is not known for its fiber production, it has been valuable as a food source because it has higher levels of nutrients than standard cotton we know today.
Cultivation Notes:
Perfect for desert and xeric landscaping, this compact shrub is very salt tolerant and thrives in low desert heat (1). Cold hardy to 25F (USDA Zone 9). Minimal pruning required for shaping only (1).
Ethnobotany:
Wild cotton species contain higher levels of lysine than all commercial species of cotton. Lysine is an organic compound normally found in animal proteins, but is sometimes found in plants. It is an important element of the human diet and is required for our bodies to synthesize protein (2). With added levels of lysine, this cotton seed becomes a much more nutritional commodity. Wild cotton is also higher in gossypol, a toxin and insect repellent that can be used to cross breed with commercial species as a natural defense against pests (2).
Height:
0 - 5 feet
Width:
0 - 5 feet
Growth Rate:
Moderate Growing
Grow Season:
Summer
Flower Season:
Spring
Color:
Yellow
Function:
Screen
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Tender
Water Use:
Low water Use
Citations:
- http://www.mswn.com/media/info_sheets/gossypium_harknessii.pdf
- http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242102075
