monkey house plant Sticky Monkey Flower (Mimulus aurantiacus) – Yardwork

monkey house plant Sticky Monkey Flower (Mimulus aurantiacus) – YardworkTransform Your Garden with Californias Most Resilient Native Bloomer Sticky Monkey Flower gives California gardens months of bright orange color, evergreen structure, and serious drought tolerance without the constant watering many flowering shrubs demand. This native evergreen shrub is built for dry environments, rocky soils, coastal scrub, chaparral, open forests, sunny hills, and low maintenance landscapes that still need colorful flowers. Also

Transform Your Garden with California’s Most Resilient Native Bloomer

Sticky Monkey Flower gives California gardens months of bright orange color, evergreen structure, and serious drought tolerance without the constant watering many flowering shrubs demand. This native evergreen shrub is built for dry environments, rocky soils, coastal scrub, chaparral, open forests, sunny hills, and low-maintenance landscapes that still need colorful flowers.

Also known as bush monkeyflower, bush monkey flowers, orange bush monkeyflower, sticky monkeyflower, and Diplacus aurantiacus - formerly Mimulus aurantiacus in the genus Mimulus - this perennial subshrub typically grows 2–5 feet in height and width. Our 1-gallon plant is ready to transplant into California native plant palettes where it can support regional biodiversity, stabilize slopes, and bring tubular orange flowers that hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and caterpillars use throughout the season.

Why You’ll Love It

• Drought-Tolerant Beauty – Sticky Monkey Flower is known as a desiccation tolerant plant that can survive long periods without water. Once established, it needs only occasional deep watering during extended dry periods, while its yellowish-orange tubular flowers can bloom from July to September in wild conditions and often from spring through fall in irrigated or mild garden sites.

• Native California Advantage – The sticky monkey flower (Mimulus aurantiacus) is a native shrub found throughout California, particularly in coastal scrub and chaparral regions. It is commonly found in coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and open forests, making it a natural fit for California gardens.

• Low-Maintenance Gardening – This plant requires full sun to partial shade, excellent winter drainage, and no overwatering. It is highly adaptable and can grow in nutrient-poor or challenging soils like serpentine, disturbed soils, sandy soils, and rocky banks.

• Wildlife Magnet – Sticky monkey flower serves as a vital food source for hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. The sticky monkey flower (Mimulus aurantiacus) supports multiple species of caterpillars, including the Variable Checkerspot, and also attracts hummingbirds.

• Year-Round Interest – Its dark green leaves and rounded shrub form provide structure even when the plant is not in peak bloom. The Sticky Monkey Flower has a modest fuel load, making it suitable for fire-resistant landscaping, and the Sticky Monkey Flower is generally considered resistant to foraging deer.

What Makes It Different

Most flowering shrubs need regular irrigation, richer soils, or constant maintenance to look good in California’s dry climate. Sticky Monkey Flower is different because its native evolution helps it protect itself, retain water, and keep growing where many non-native plants struggle.

Sticky Monkey Flower has:

• Resinous Leaves – The leaves of the sticky monkey flower are sticky due to glandular secretions, which help protect the plant from herbivorous threats and reduce desiccation. This sticky resin and natural resin production help the plant retain water, deter feeding, and protect the leaves from herbivores.

• Extended Bloom Period – The flowers of the sticky monkey flower are typically yellowish-orange and have a tubular shape, blooming from July to September in many wild settings. In California gardens, especially with the right light and drainage, flowers may display from spring into fall, with orange, yellow, red, and sometimes white color forms found across the species’ range.

• Native Heritage – This native plant supports the local ecosystem in ways ornamental imports cannot. It is an important host plant for larvae, including caterpillars of the Variable Checkerspot, and its tubular petals are close to perfect for hummingbirds.

The resin produced by the sticky monkey flower’s leaves helps protect the plant from herbivorous threats, particularly the larvae of the specialist butterfly Euphydryas chalcedona. During the wet season, the sticky monkey flower’s leaves are high in nutrients, which supports the growth of butterfly larvae that feed on the plant, while the resin they consume inhibits their growth, providing a protective mechanism for the plant.

Sticky Monkey Flower also has a meaningful cultural history. The Miwok and Pomo Native Americans used the sticky monkey flower to treat minor ailments such as sores, burns, diarrhea, and eye irritation. The Coast Miwok placed crushed leaves of the sticky monkey flower on sores and burns, while the roots were used to treat fever, dysentery, and diarrhea. The Pomo used a decoction made from the sticky monkey flower to treat sore, bloodshot eyes, particularly in individuals living in smoky environments or poorly ventilated dwellings. Flowers were also used for decorative purposes.

How To Grow Sticky Monkey Flower In Your Garden

1. Plant in Well-Draining Soil
   Choose a full sun to partial shade location with excellent drainage. Sticky Monkey Flower thrives in both partial shade and full sun and is well-adapted to disturbed soils, serpentine soils, rocky slopes, banks, and dry garden beds. Avoid low spots where winter water collects.

2. Water Establishment Period
   Water deeply during the first 6 months while roots establish. After that, reduce irrigation sharply. The plant requires excellent winter drainage and should not be overwatered, especially in summer. Its deep roots, sticky leaves, and drought-adapted shape help it survive dry conditions with minimal support.

3. Enjoy Continuous Blooms
   Expect a neat, rounded form with colorful flowers that attract hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and beneficial pollinators. The plant has deep roots, making it excellent for preventing erosion on banks, and its robust root system is perfect for stabilizing sunny, rocky slopes and hillsides.

Plant Details

• Botanical Name: Diplacus aurantiacus

• Former Botanical Name: Mimulus aurantiacus

• Common Names: Sticky Monkey Flower, sticky monkeyflower, bush monkeyflower, orange bush monkeyflower, monkey flower

• Plant Type: Native perennial subshrub / evergreen shrub

• Mature Size: Typically 2–5 feet in height and width; Yardwork plants commonly mature around 3–4 feet tall and wide in garden conditions

• Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade

• Water Needs: Low to moderate during establishment; highly drought-tolerant once established

• Bloom Time: Often March through October in gardens; typically yellowish-orange tubular flowers bloom from July to September in many wild settings

• Flower Color: Usually orange or yellowish-orange, with yellow, red, and white forms also found

• Foliage: Dark green leaves with sticky glandular secretions; the leaf’s weight and texture vary by selection and growing conditions

• Soil: Well-draining soils, including rocky, sandy, disturbed, nutrient-poor, and serpentine soils

• Landscape Uses: Native beds, coastal scrub gardens, chaparral-style plantings, erosion control, hillsides, banks, borders, dry slopes, fire-resistant landscaping, pollinator gardens

• Wildlife Value: Vital food source for hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies; important host plant for caterpillars and larvae, including the Variable Checkerspot

• Deer Resistance: Generally considered resistant to foraging deer

• Hardiness Zones: Best for USDA Zones 8–10 and well suited to California

• Included: Healthy 1-gallon container plant ready for transplanting

Who It’s For

Ideal for:

• California homeowners creating water-wise landscapes

• Gardeners wanting native plants that support local wildlife

• Landscapers designing sustainable, low-maintenance gardens with structural grasses like Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass

• Anyone seeking colorful flowers without high water requirements

• Property owners who need erosion control on sunny, rocky hills or banks and want to complement shrubs with flowering trees for added canopy color

• Native plant enthusiasts building gardens inspired by the Jepson Manual, coastal scrub, chaparral, and open forest plant communities, especially those adding purple bougainvillea for Mediterranean-style color

If you want a California native shrub that grows with less water, helps protect soil, supports hummingbirds and butterfly larvae, and stays contained in a clean rounded form, Sticky Monkey Flower fits your garden.

Frequently Asked Questions

How drought-tolerant is it once established?
Extremely drought-tolerant. Sticky Monkey Flower is known as a desiccation tolerant plant that can survive long periods without water. After establishment, it usually needs only occasional deep watering during extended dry periods.

Will it spread or stay contained?
It forms a neat, rounded shrub and generally stays within its designated space without aggressive spreading. This makes it useful in borders, dry banks, native plant beds, and mixed California palettes.

What wildlife does it attract?
Hummingbirds love the tubular flowers, while bees and butterflies also visit the blooms. The sticky monkey flower (Mimulus aurantiacus) supports multiple species of caterpillars, including the Variable Checkerspot, and the plant is an important host plant for native butterfly larvae.

Can I grow it in containers?
Yes. Sticky Monkey Flower can grow in large containers if the pot has strong drainage and the soil mix does not stay wet. Let the soil dry between waterings, and avoid overwatering.

Does it need special soil?
No rich soil is required. It is highly adaptable and can grow in nutrient-poor or challenging soils like serpentine. The most important requirement is drainage, especially during winter.

Is the sticky resin a problem?
No. The sticky resin is part of the plant’s natural defense system. Resin helps deter herbivores, reduce water loss, and protect the plant in dry environments.

Was Sticky Monkey Flower traditionally used by Native Americans?
Yes. The Miwok and Pomo Native Americans used the sticky monkey flower to treat minor ailments such as sores, burns, diarrhea, and eye irritation. The Coast Miwok used crushed leaves on sores and burns, and roots were used to treat fever, dysentery, and diarrhea. The Pomo used a decoction for sore, bloodshot eyes, especially in smoky environments.

Ready to Add Native Beauty?

Stop struggling with water-hungry shrubs that do not suit California’s climate. Choose Sticky Monkey Flower and enjoy a resilient native plant with orange blooms, dark green leaves, deep roots, modest fuel load, wildlife value, and low-water performance.

Yardwork ships healthy 1-gallon plants throughout California with care-focused packaging and simple transplanting guidance, and can also serve as your go-to plant nursery for building a complete yard with evergreen and fast-growing privacy trees.

Secure checkout. Fast shipping. Native plants selected for California gardens, plus drought-tolerant trees like the California Pepper Tree and California Pepper Tree for sale with other landscape staples, along with versatile evergreen shrubs such as Glossy Privet (Ligustrum lucidum).