Mimulus lewisii

RHS Plant Profile

great purple monkey flower

Dorling Kindersley 2003

Synonyms

Mimulus lewisii

RHS Recommended

Herbaceous Perennial

An erect perennial with sticky hairy leaves and 2-lipped rose-pink or purple-pink flowers to 5cm in length all summer

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Clay, Loam

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam

Moisture: Poorly–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: South–facing or East–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H3

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Phrymaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: A genus of over 120 annuals or herbaceous perennials, many of which tolerate wet soils or even shallow water. Flowers are red, pink or yellow and some have a musky fragrance. They are a key food source for some species of butterflies and moths
Name Status: Synonym
Plant Range: Western N America

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, humus-rich, very moist soil in full sun or light dappled shade

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut back after flowering

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free