Square-stem monkeyflower (Mimulus ringens) -- shallow water pond plant

Square-stem monkeyflower (Mimulus ringens) -- shallow water pond plant

Square-stem monkeyflower, aka Allegheny monkeyflower, aka lavender musk (this is why we have Latin names!) is a US native in many states. It has pretty lavender-blue flowers that could resemble the face of a monkey (it helps if you also see faces in clouds), on tall square stems with lance-shaped leaves.

Square-stem monkeyflower is the host plant for several butterfly species, and blooms June through September.

Hardiness Zone: 3-9, handles humid heat but not fond of hot dry desert climate
Planting Container: We recommend a 10" x 6" fabric pot to grow a regular sized plant, or a 12.5" x 7" or 15" x 6" fabric pot to grow a grouping of specimen plants. Click on any fabric pot link to read about why fabric pots work better than hard plastic pots!
Light Requirements: full sun to part shade
Height: 30"-48" - Spread: 12-24"+, spreads using underground rhizomes
Water Depth: Moist soil to 6" under water (maximum depth is for mature plants only)

FERTILIZING: For best health and growth, we recommend fertilizing regularly (unless using the plants in a plant filtration system!). Use Pondtabbs 20 count, 60 count, or 300 count for fast release, or Aquascape 6 count or 12 count capsules for slow release (once a year) fertilizing. Aquascape is preferred for low maintenance, but Pondtabbs are useful in Spring when Aquascape is slow to start in low temperatures. Pondtabbs are also useful for a quick extra nutrient push for extra bloom, and for mid-summer fertilizing of a new plant (we don't recommend using slow release fertilizer in mid-summer or later in cold climates, as plants should run out of fertilizer at the end of the year to encourage dormancy in cold climates).

Plants are shipped bare root or in starter pots, and will require planting upon arrival. For in depth planting and care instructions visit our Planting and Care Instructions for Shallow Water and Bog Plants.

For information on using plants for pond filtration, please read our blog on this topic!