Maybe a Lavatera

Here is a link that might be useful: lavatera images

Correction maybe? A seedpod generally contains more than one seed and while some seed pods may look like they're a single individual seed, they generally do have more than one inside the pod? Nealy all the mallows do have a single pod inside the individual flowers of course but the inside has compartments with a varying number of seeds in each compartment . Sounds perhaps like a hardy hibiscus, or "moscheutos" though I don't recall seeing those in CA, and the winters may not be cold enough for their normal dormant winter period? Could be just one of your larger flowered hybrids of regular tropical hibiscus as well? I would add however, not all plants produce seeds in pods and sometimes the seeds are individuals around the dry flower head, in the case of most of the composite family. No pods there, as far as I know.

Interesting note about the seed pod. I didn't know that.

I took some pictures of the dried flowers. You can see the seed pod in the middle of the second picture. I also have some pictures of the pods themselves, but I'm having trouble getting them off my camera. Will put in a request with my IT dept. (husband) for that one.

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