How to Grow Monkey Flower (Mimulus hybridus)
For wet, shady conditions, no annual (a plant that lives just one year) beats monkey flower. It gets its name from its funnel-shaped flowers that have two lip-like petals that remind some of a grinning monkey. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Buy healthy, green plants with no signs of wilting or disease. Plants should be stocky with plenty of leaves. It's actually a plus if they don't have any flowers on them so that they'll divert their early energy into root development rather than flowering.
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Plant monkey flower seedlings outdoors in spring after your region's last annual frost date. Choose a site that has light shade and isn't subject to drying out.
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Position plants 6 to 12 inches apart and water in well.
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Keep well watered.
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Fertilize once or twice during the growing season if desired. Or work in a spadeful or two of compost at planting time.
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Pull up and discard plants in autumn after felled by frost.
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Tips & Warnings
The color of monkey flower runs from orange through yellow to almost brown, reinforcing the monkey resemblance. Plants grow about 2 feet tall.
Monkey flower is wonderful for containers as long as you don't allow it to dry out. Put it only in containers in light shade in a moist spot. Also, try adding polymer crystals to the potting soil. The crystals absorb water like a sponge, keeping the soil moister longer.
If planted in a continually moist place, such as along the sides of a stream or pond, monkey flower will reseed prolifically.
