Diplacus and Erythranthe are my favorite plant genera and Diplacus aurantiacus is no exception.

Yellow bush monkeyflower, formerly of the genus Mimulus, is an astoundingly beautiful and hardy evergreen perennial shrub native to southern and central California. It is a small perennial shrub that makes an excellent addition to xeriscapes or hotter, drier, baked areas of the garden. Its sticky leaves deter insects and foragers, including deer(!), and when broken or warmed have a pungent, herbal fragrance.

Monkeyflowers have a lengthy flowering period from mid-May to September and the bright orange to orangey-yellow flowers attract an abundance of pollinators, including hummingbirds.

It is somewhat more tolerant of claggy soils than Salvia cultivars, thus I have found it preferable for the Willamette Valley. It is hardy to around 15 degrees F and does well in our rainless summers.

It does really well in a large patio container. If planting in clay soil, create a mound first in order to facilitate drainage and prevent the plant from sitting in permanently wet soil.

Water Use: Light

Light Requirement: Sun

Soil Moisture: Dry

Soil type: Sand, clay, loam

Soil pH: 6-8

Drought Tolerance: High

Evergreen perennial