Shrubs     White     Pink/Red     Blue/Purple    Yellow   Nonnative

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Purple Monkeyflower-Mimulus lewisii

This attractive flower growing in moist places on stalks up to three feet tall is a member of the Figwort Family (Scrophulariaceae). It's name is purple monkeyflower or Lewis' monkeyflower (Mimulus lewisii). Although all the other monkeyflowers (Mimulus) in this area are yellow, this one has bright pink or magenta petals.

A closer look shows that it's not all pink. Inside there's a hint of yellow with some darker red spots.

The purple monkeyflower is a real treat to find, and it grows throughout western North America. For more information about it, click here.

No comments: