Gossypium thurberi Malvaceae Kristin Yanker-Hansen, Danville, CA Desert cotton is the common name of this plant, although it is one member of the cotton genus that doesn’t produce cotton. This deciduous shrub can get 4 or 5 feet tall and has pale pink flowers like medium sized hollyhocks. It is native to the deserts of Arizona but does well as a garden plant in the warmer parts of the Bay Area. It is a graceful, airy plant and does best in full sun with some water. Photo by Kristin Yanker-Hansen