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Mimulus aurantiacus (Bush Monkey Flower)

Bush Monkey Flower, Sticky Monkey Flower, Orange Bush Monkey Flower, Diplacus aurantiacus

AGM Award
Mimulus aurantiacus, Bush Monkey Flower, Sticky Monkey Flower, Orange Bush Monkey Flower, Diplacus aurantiacus, Orange flowers, California natives,

A colorful southern Oregon, California, and Baja California native, award-winning Mimulus aurantiacus (Bush Monkey Flower) is a bushy evergreen shrub with narrow, lanceolate, dark-green leaves typically 2-3 in. long (5-7 cm) on very sticky stems and flowering stems that grow vertically. Trumpet-shaped, the exuberant flowers, 1.2 in long (3 cm), are tubular at the base with five broad lobes. They bloom profusely over a long season extending from spring through summer. They occur in a variety of shades, including salmon-orange, yellow, or orange-red. Bees and hummingbirds pollinate them. Bush Monkey Flower is an ideal garden companion, adding exoticism and a Mediterranean feel.

  • Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society for its noteworthy qualities.
  • Grows up to 3-4 ft. tall (90-120 cm) and 3 ft. wide (90 cm).
  • Best in full sun or part shade in well-drained soils. Tolerant of difficult soils if adequate drainage is provided. Drought tolerant once established.
  • A great choice for beds and borders, rock gardens. Lovely on a stone wall for a cascading effect.
  • Deer resistant.
  • Deadhead to increase flower production. Pinch back new growth in spring to maintain a more compact form.
  • Propagate from seed or cuttings
  • Native to southern Oregon, California, and Baja California.
  • Mimulus owe their common name to the shape and colors of their flowers that suggest “mime” (Latin “mimus”) a monkey’s face.

Requirements

Hardiness 7 - 11
Heat Zones 7 - 11
Climate Zones 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Shrubs
Plant Family Phrymaceae
Genus Mimulus
Common names Monkey Flower, Sticky Monkey Flower
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late)
Height 3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread 3' (90cm)
Spacing 36" (90cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Low, Average
Soil Type Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy, Evergreen
Native Plants United States, Pacific Northwest, California, Oregon
Tolerance Drought, Deer
Attracts Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds And Borders
Garden Styles Mediterranean Garden, Gravel and Rock Garden
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Alternative Plants to Consider

Mimulus lewisii (Purple Monkey Flower)
Mimulus ringens (Allegheny Monkey Flower)
Mimulus guttatus (Yellow Monkey Flower)
Mimulus primuloides (Primrose Monkey Flower)
Mimulus cardinalis (Scarlet Monkey Flower)

Recommended Companion Plants

Carex testacea (New Zealand Hair Sedge)
Helianthemum ‘Henfield Brilliant’ (Rock Rose)
Gaura lindheimeri ‘Siskiyou Pink’ (Beeblossom)
Stipa tenuissima (Mexican Feather Grass)

Find In One of Our Guides or Gardens

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While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
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Requirements

Hardiness 7 - 11
Heat Zones 7 - 11
Climate Zones 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Shrubs
Plant Family Phrymaceae
Genus Mimulus
Common names Monkey Flower, Sticky Monkey Flower
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late)
Height 3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread 3' (90cm)
Spacing 36" (90cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Low, Average
Soil Type Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy, Evergreen
Native Plants United States, Pacific Northwest, California, Oregon
Tolerance Drought, Deer
Attracts Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds And Borders
Garden Styles Mediterranean Garden, Gravel and Rock Garden
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Not sure which Mimulus (Monkey Flower) to pick?
Compare Now

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