• Photo of Mimulus ringens (Mimulus ringenss)

Plant Profile: Mimulus ringens

Taxonomy: Mimulus ringens

Names

Allegheny monkey flower, Lavender Musk, Square-stemmed Monkey Flower.

  • Photo of Mimulus ringens (Mimulus ringenss)

Phonetic Spelling:MIM-yoo-luss RIN-jens

Genus:Mimulus

Species:ringens

Family:Phrymaceae

Mimulus ringens is a perennial plant characterized by its upright, rhizomatous growth, commonly found in wet environments such as swamps, moist meadows, pond and stream banks, as well as low-lying woodlands. It thrives best in partial shade. The flowers, resembling a monkey's face, have earned the plant its popular name.

The blossoms emerge as solitary flowers on long stalks, typically appearing in pairs opposite each other at the leaf axils near the top of the plant. These flowers generally bloom on different days.

For planting, use 1-2 gallon containers filled with nutrient-rich soil and ensure they are submerged under 0.5 to 2 inches of water.

This plant serves as a host for the Common Buckeye and Baltimore Checkerspot butterflies.

In terms of pests and diseases, no significant issues have been reported.

Mimulus ringens Feature Summary

Mimulus ringens Image Gallery

Tags

#perennial
#herbaceous
#deer resistant
#herbaceous perennial
#native wildflower
#wet soils tolerant

Similar Plants

Mimulus ringens Feature Summary

Attributes
AL, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, ID, IL, IL, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV
Attracts butterflies. Pollinated by bumblebees.
Perennial
Attracts Pollinators
Attractive Flowers
Fruit
The fruit grows as an oblong capsule, each containing from 500 to 1000 seeds. They are spread by the wind and spread on the surface of the surrounding areas.
< 1 inch
Flowers
A solitary, blue, violet, red or pink snapdragon-like flowers (to 1" long) with two-lipped, open-mouthed corollas. Flowers appear in pairs in the leaf axils on slender 1-2" long pedicels.
Pink
Purple/Lavender
Red/Burgundy
Blue
2-3 rays/petals
1-3 inches
Leaves
Up to 4" long, the dark green, oblong leaves taper at both ends.
Elliptical
Oblong
Lanceolate
3-6 inches
Stem
Square stems with a groove on the sides. Many branches on the lower part of the plant.
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Wildflower
Herb
Water Plant
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Moist
Occasionally Wet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
Loam (Silt)
Landscape
Rain Garden
Water Garden
Border
Mass Planting
Naturalized Area
Pond
Butterflies
Pollinators
Hummingbirds

Mimulus ringens Attributes

Mimulus ringens: Country Or Region Of Origin

North America

Mimulus ringens: Distribution

AL, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, ID, IL, IL, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV

Mimulus ringens: Wildlife Value

Attracts butterflies. Pollinated by bumblebees.

Mimulus ringens: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Mimulus ringens: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Mimulus ringens: Play Value

Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer

Mimulus ringens Fruit

Mimulus ringens: Fruit Description

The fruit grows as an oblong capsule, each containing from 500 to 1000 seeds. They are spread by the wind and spread on the surface of the surrounding areas.

Mimulus ringens: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Mimulus ringens: Fruit Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Mimulus ringens: Fruit Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Mimulus ringens Flowers

Mimulus ringens: Flower Description

A solitary, blue, violet, red or pink snapdragon-like flowers (to 1" long) with two-lipped, open-mouthed corollas. Flowers appear in pairs in the leaf axils on slender 1-2" long pedicels.

Mimulus ringens: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Blue
filter_vintage
Pink
filter_vintage
Purple/Lavender
filter_vintage
Red/Burgundy

Mimulus ringens: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Mimulus ringens: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Mimulus ringens: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Mimulus ringens: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Mimulus ringens: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Mimulus ringens Leaves

Mimulus ringens: Leaf Description

Up to 4" long, the dark green, oblong leaves taper at both ends.

Mimulus ringens: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Mimulus ringens: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Mimulus ringens: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Mimulus ringens: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Mimulus ringens: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Mimulus ringens: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Mimulus ringens: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Mimulus ringens Stem

Mimulus ringens: Stem Description

Square stems with a groove on the sides. Many branches on the lower part of the plant.

Mimulus ringens: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Mimulus ringens: Stem Cross Section

Angular
Oval
Round
Square

Mimulus ringens Whole Plant Traits

Mimulus ringens: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Mimulus ringens: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Mimulus ringens: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Mimulus ringens: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Mimulus ringens Cultural Conditions

Mimulus ringens: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Mimulus ringens: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Mimulus ringens: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Mimulus ringens: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Mimulus ringens: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
3a
thermostat
3b
thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b

Mimulus ringens: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Mimulus ringens Landscape

Mimulus ringens: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Mimulus ringens: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Mimulus ringens: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Mimulus ringens: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Mimulus ringens: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees