Sticky Monkeyflower, Bush Monkeyflower

Botanical Name: Diplacus aurantiacus   (DY-pla-kus  aw-ran-ti-AYE-kus)

Family Name: Lopseed (Phrymaceae) 

Description

Life Cycle: Perennial. Evergreen, can be summer semi-deciduous if dry. Fall dormant. Moderate-fast growth rate.

Type/Shape/Size: Subshrub. Upright, mounding, slightly spreading. 4' x 4'.

Flowers: Spring-summer. Profuse, free blooming,  orange-yellow 1-2” blooms along upright stems. Fragrance free.

Foliage: Leaves are 1-3” deep green with a sticky resin when cut or broken.

Fruit: Linear capsule with many tiny seeds.

Natural Reproduction: Seed.

Origin: Southwestern North America from southwestern Oregon south through most of

California (San Francisco and San Mateo counties), Baja Mexico.  

Native Habitat: Coastal sage shrub, chaparral, woodland below 5000 feet. Dry rocky slopes.

Optimal Growing Conditions in the Garden 

Light: Coast: Sun.  

Inland: Sun with part shade.

Soil: Adaptable. Fast-medium drainage. Acid-neutral pH.

Mulch: 2” organic mulch outside the root ball.

Water:  Very low.

Coast: Very low. Inland: Very low - Low

To Establish: Water deeply, keeping soil moist, not wet, until the plant doubles in size (about 1 year).

Established: Water when top 3-4“ of soil is dry, about every 10 days.  

Summer Water: No additional water needed.  

Climate: Tolerates cold to 15 degrees F.

Sticky Monkeyflower. 10/2023, San Carlos Native Plant Habitat Garden.

Sticky Monkeyflower. 8/2021, San Carlos Native Plant Habitat Garden.

Uses in the Garden

Attributes:  

Aesthetic: Beautiful, masses of yellow flowers for months. Beautiful planted alone, in mass, along a pathway or as an informal low border.  

Functional: Works well under oak trees and on slopes for erosion control. Excellent for hummingbird, bird, butterfly and bee gardens. Borders, fillers and in containers. Deer resistant. Easy to care for and grow.

Disadvantages: Few. Water can be tricky. They can wilt in response to heat; however, check to make sure the top 4 inches of soil is dry before watering.  

Wildlife Value   

Larval Host:  Host to Variable Checkerspot butterfly (native to San Mateo County) and likely 7 other moths and butterflies.

Pollen/Nectar: Nectar for hummingbirds and bees.

Seed/Fruit/Shelter: Small birds and animals use it as shelter and love the seeds.  

Maintenance

General Information: Pinch when young to promote branching. To deadhead, remove 2-3 sets of healthy leaves below the fading flowers. Remove the entire flower stem when flowers are done blooming, leaving some flowers to go to seed for wildlife and for seedlings. Prune an established plant to about 1’ so it stays compact. Do this by removing the stem below the last fading flower, leaving several sets of leaves.

Seasonal Care:

Spring: (Blooming.) Pinch back early.

Summer: (Blooms galore.) Deadhead fading flowers for more bloom. Leave on the ground for critters.  

Fall: (Going dormant. There may still be flowers.) As blooming slows, prune. Clean litter/mulch off of the root crown. Plant new plants now.

Winter: (Growth starts again with the onset of rain.)

Pests: Insignificant, some aphids and whiteflies.  

Diseases: Typically problem free. If stressed, susceptible to leaf spots, powdery mildew and rusts.

A 2-year-old Sticky Monkeyflower hybrid.  3’x 3’.  8/2021, San Carlos Native Plant Habitat Garden.

Interesting Facts

Was considered to be in the Figwort family (Scrophulariaceae) until DNA sequencing moved it to the Lopseed family.