Grow monkey flower by matching water to the kind you bought. Tags also say Mimulus.
Moist soil for most kinds, and a dry bank for sticky monkey flower
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture | Evenly moist to wet soil for herbaceous kinds; sharp drainage and little summer water for sticky bush types once they are rooted | One watering recipe for every tag; a dry gravel strip for seep or scarlet kinds; a bog pot for sticky shrubs |
| Light | Full sun to part shade — afternoon shade in heat for moist kinds | Hot west sun on a dry bed for moisture lovers; deep dry shade on sticky bank types |
| Heat | Cool roots and water before midday wilt on herbaceous kinds | Expecting desert toughness from a seep or scarlet plant |
Herbaceous monkey flowers want moist to wet ground. Sticky bush kinds, often tagged Diplacus, want a draining bank and can drop leaves in a hard drought. [1]
Does monkey flower need moist soil?
Herbaceous kinds do — keep the soil evenly moist to wet. Sticky bush types want drainage and less summer water once established. Read the tag before you water. [2]
Is Mimulus the same as Diplacus?
Many western sticky shrubs are now Diplacus; some herbaceous kinds sit under Erythranthe. Nursery tags still say Mimulus. Match watering to habit: moist herb versus dry-bank shrub.
Does monkey flower need full sun?
Sun to part shade. Sticky bush forms take more sun on a draining bank. Moist kinds often last longer with morning sun and afternoon shade in heat.
Why did my monkey flower wilt in heat?
Moist kinds wilt when roots cook or dry. Water before collapse and add afternoon shade. Soft midday wilt that recovers by evening is heat and thirst, not instant death.
How to plant monkey flower
Plant after frost risk, with the crown at the same depth as the pot. Bedding hybrids want cool nights and soil that does not dry out. [3]
- Confirm monkey flower, not monkey grass. Read whether you bought a moist herbaceous kind or a sticky woody shrub.
- Put seep, scarlet, and Allegheny kinds in soil that stays moist to wet. Put sticky bush types on a draining bank, not in a bog.
- Set the crown level with the surrounding soil. Do not bury woody stems of sticky types.
- Mulch 1–2 inches on herbaceous kinds to keep roots cool, kept off the stems. Skip a wet mulch collar on sticky shrubs.
- Water moist kinds so the soil does not dry. Water sticky types to establish, then ease off — standing water in clay invites rot.
When should I plant monkey flower?
After frost risk, when the soil is workable. In hot summers, give moist kinds afternoon shade from day one. Do not plant a seep type into dry gravel in July.
Choose sticky, scarlet, seep, or Allegheny monkey flower
Culture splits on moisture. Height and color follow after that.
- Sticky / bush — M. aurantiacus (often tagged Diplacus) for a drained sunny bank. Do not overwater. It may drop leaves in a hard drought, then leaf out again when rain returns. [4]
- Scarlet — M. cardinalis for tubular red bloom on moist to wet margins. Do not let a border planting dry out.
- Seep and creeping — M. guttatus for wet edges; M. primuloides for a cool creeping carpet that still wants even moisture.
- Purple and Allegheny — M. lewisii for cooler moist sites; M. ringens for damp eastern meadows, rain gardens, and wet soil. Square stems help you confirm Allegheny in the bed.
Sticky monkey flower is named for resin on the leaves, not for wet soil.
FAQ
Is monkey flower the same as monkey grass?
No. Monkey grass usually means Liriope or Ophiopogon. Monkey flower is Mimulus (or Diplacus / Erythranthe) with snapdragon-like blooms.
Should you deadhead monkey flower?
Pinch spent blooms if you want a longer flush. Leave seed only where self-sowing on a moist site is welcome.
Can I grow monkey flower in a pot?
Yes. Keep herbaceous kinds evenly moist without sour standing water. Give sticky shrubs a freely draining mix in sun, and empty the saucer.
What grows with monkey flower?
Other moist-meadow plants for herbaceous kinds, or drained sunny-bank natives for sticky shrubs. Do not pair a seep type with desert succulents in one small pot.
How do I start monkey flower from seed?
Press seed on the surface — it needs light. Keep the mix moist. Indoor starts want cool, bright conditions. Direct-sow moist kinds where the soil stays wet.
Does sticky monkey flower need pruning?
Cut sticky shrubs in spring before growth, then again after the first bloom if you want a later flush. Do not shear into old wood in peak heat.
Do hummingbirds visit monkey flower?
Scarlet tubular kinds such as M. cardinalis often draw hummingbirds when the soil stays moist.
Is monkey flower the same as a snapdragon?
No. The two-lipped bloom looks similar. Watering still follows monkey flower habit, not Antirrhinum bedding.
Should I fertilize monkey flower?
Skip heavy feed. Moist kinds in rich soil usually need none. Sticky shrubs on a lean bank fail faster from summer soak than from a missed fertilizer dose.
Recommended plants
References
- [1] UC Master Gardeners of San Luis Obispo County -
https://ucanr.edu/blog/uc-master-gardeners-diggin-it-slo/article/monkey-flowers - [2] NC State Extension -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/mimulus-ringens/ - [3] NC State Extension -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/mimulus-x-hybridus/ - [4] Las Pilitas Nursery -
https://www.laspilitas.com/groups/Monkey_flower/California_monkey_flower.html
More first-season notes by plant are gathered in How to Grow Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors