Monkey Flower
Mimulus X hybridus. SCROPHULARIACEAE.
Planting and Growing Monkey Flower
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow monkey flower in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of monkey flower
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for monkey flower
- Season of bloom and planting time for monkey flower
- When, how deep, and where to plant monkey flower
- How to plant monkey flower
- Watering, fertilizing, care, and pests or diseases of monkey flower
- Landscape and container uses of monkey flower
- Comments about monkey flower and its features
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Growing Monkey Flower
Many cultivars of short-lived, erect, mounding perennial herbs, 12–18 in. (30–45 cm) tall. Smooth, green, broadly oval, finely toothed, paired leaves, to 2 in. (50 mm) long.
Common cultivars include Mimulus X hybridus ‘Apricot’, ‘Calypso’, ‘Velvet’, and ‘Viva’.
Planting and Care Guide
Blooms
Many brown, cream, orange, red, yellow, multicolored or solid, monkey-face-like, 5-petaled flowers, 2–2-1/2-in. (50–63-mm) wide, with reflexed pairs of upper petals and triplets of lower petals, and with tonguelike centers, in summer–autumn except during periods of heat.
Best Climates
Plant as tender annual, zones 3–8; ground hardy, zones 9–11.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained humus or, in water features, shoreline sites. Fertility: Rich. 6.5–7.5 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Spring, zones 3–7; late winter, zones 8–11, in partial to full shade, 6 in. (15 cm) apart. Start seed indoors 10 weeks before final frost for early blooms; transplant when soil warms.
Choose a location with evenly moist soil for best results.
Proper Care
Moderate. Keep moist. Fertilize monthly. Deadhead spent flowers to prolong bloom. Propagate by seed.
About This Plant
Good choice for beds, borders, containers in rock, shade gardens and water feature shorelines. Pest and disease resistant.