Monkeyflower's cheery blossoms brighten gardens
A handsome herbaceous perennial, the Lewis Monkeyflower favors moist soil and abundant sun, blooming from early summer to early fall.
(Photo courtesy MARILYN GEORGE/KINNIKINNICK NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY)
Lewis Monkeyflower (Erythranthe lewisii) is one of many plants whose family classification and genus name were changed based on DNA analysis used extensively in the 21st century to discover the genetic links between plants. Formerly known as Mimulus lewisii, Lewis Monkeyflower was discovered by the Lewis and Clark expedition across the Louisiana Purchase to the Pacific coast (1803-1806). The species name is in honor of Meriwether Lewis, while the new genus name is derived from Greek words meaning “red bloom.”
This handsome herbaceous perennial is native to western North America from Alaska to California, east to Montana, Wyoming and Colorado. It favors moist soil and abundant sun. Often found in boggy mountain meadows and along streambanks, Lewis Monkeyflower blooms from early summer to early fall.
Growing in clusters and low mounds, Lewis Monkeyflower can reach as high as four feet and spread several feet wide. The rich green leaves are oblong (one to three inches long) with pointed tips and toothed margins. They appear opposite each other in pairs attached directly to the main stem.
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