Sticky monkey flower gets its common name from its long and narrow leaves with surfaces coated in a sticky resin. It is a delightful small evergreen shrub growing 2-4 ft. tall that becomes totally covered with colorful tubular orange flowers. It is beloved by hummingbirds. Cultivars available from nurseries that specialize in California native plants come with white, yellow, orange and red flowers.
Sticky monkey flower grows throughout California in sage scrub, chaparral and oak woodland plant communities on rocky slopes, plains and disturbed areas. Within this range it varies in growth habit and flower color, and is highly adapted to heat, sun and summer drought conditions. It is widely planted in restoration projects as well as native gardens throughout the Inland Empire. The straight species of sticky monkey flower can be tricky to grow in gardens because it is very sensitive to wet soils in the summer and is best allowed to go completely dormant (dead looking) in the summer after establishment.
The hybrid selections of which sticky monkey flower is one of the parents are far easier to grow for most gardeners because they tend to be more tolerant of occasional deep watering in the summer, similar to many other native plants. Given that, they will often go less than completely dormant, but will still have a summer “down season.”
The Jelly Bean group of these hybrids, including Jelly Bean Orange, Jelly Bean Red, Jelly Bean Scarlet, and more, are commonly available from native plant nurseries and are prolific bloomers. In hot inland areas, they seem to be easiest to grow and longest blooming in dappled shade, near the edge of a tree canopy, as well as in areas that may have morning and mid-day sun, but some shade in the afternoon.
The Jelly Bean monkey flowers often grow very well in terra cotta pots using cactus mix as the potting soil. They will require water more frequently in pots. We like to water once the soil feels dry about two inches down after plants are established. In this condition, which guarantees perfect drainage, they may be longer lived than in the ground, and will sometimes bloom through out most of the year, with the peak in spring.
Monkey flowers tend to not be long lived, usually lasting a maximum of 3-5 years before needing to be replaced.
