Species · GBIF taxon 5414628
orange bush monkeyflower
Diplacus aurantiacusAlso known as Sticky Monkeyflower, Bush Monkeyflower, Sticky Bush Monkeyflower
Orange bush monkeyflowers light up dry western hillsides with their apricot-colored, trumpet-shaped blossoms that resemble tiny grinning faces. The dark green leaves are coated in a sticky, resinous secretion that helps the plant conserve precious moisture during the grueling summer drought. These hardy subshrubs serve as a vital nectar source for hummingbirds and act as a primary host plant for several native butterfly caterpillars.
Drought-TolerantHummingbird-MagnetChaparral-Native
- diet
- Sunlight, water, and soil minerals
- family
- Phrymaceae
- threats
- Urban development, invasive annual grasses, and altered wildfire cycles
- life Span
- 10 to 15 years
LC
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- Gently Touch the Leaves: Feel the sticky, resinous coating on the upper leaf surfaces, which is an adaptation to prevent water loss.
- Watch for Pollinators: Look closely at the flowers to spot visiting Anna's hummingbirds or native bees probing for nectar.
- Observe the Stigma: Touch the flower's stigma very gently with a blade of grass to watch its lobes close up, a rapid movement designed to prevent self-pollination.