Crimson Monkeyflower
ExplorePlants
Crimson Monkeyflower
erythranthe verbenacea
The Crimson Monkeyflower is a striking, moisture-loving perennial herb native to the arid canyons of the American Southwest and northern Mexico. Standing out like a brilliant torch against dusty sandstone, this vibrant plant is renowned for its fiery red-orange flowers. It thrives in microhabitats where water is constantly present, such as desert seeps, springs, and weep holes in sheer canyon walls. Its ability to colonize these damp, vertical rock faces makes it a crucial botanical oasis in otherwise inhospitable terrains.
Habitat: Typically found growing in wet canyon seeps, desert springs, and moist sandstone crevices of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Appearance
This upright herb typically grows 30 to 80 centimeters tall, featuring sticky, glandular-hairy stems and opposite, oblong-toothed green leaves. Its most defining feature is the array of tube-shaped, brilliant crimson-red to scarlet flowers, which measure up to 5 centimeters in length. The blossoms feature a prominent two-lipped corolla with a yellow, slightly hairy throat that acts as a visual guide for pollinators, contrasting sharply against the intense red petals.
KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderLamialesFamilyPhrymaceaeGenusErythranthe
Category
PlantsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Despite growing in arid, scorching desert regions, this plant is an obligate wetland species, meaning it cannot survive without a constant, direct source of water.
Its scientific genus name, Erythranthe, translates directly from Greek as 'red flower', referencing its vivid blossoms.
The common name 'monkeyflower' comes from the shape of the blossoms, which are thought to resemble a grinning monkey's face when viewed head-on.
Special abilities
Ability
Hummingbird Beacon
Produces vibrant, tubular red flowers rich in nectar that are specifically evolved to attract hummingbird pollinators while excluding most bees.
Ability
Glandular Defense
Employs sticky, glandular hairs across its stems and leaves to deter crawling herbivorous insects and reduce transpiration.
Ability
Chasmophytic Rooting
Maintains a highly specialized root system capable of anchoring securely into narrow, vertical sandstone fractures and saturated seepages.
Diet & Feeding
As a photosynthetic plant, it generates its own food using sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water, absorbing essential minerals through its roots.
Primary Foods
- Sunlight
- Water
- Carbon dioxide
- Soil minerals
Foraging Method
- Photosynthesis
Ecological connections
mutualism
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Archilochus alexandri
Pollinates the bright red flowers while feeding on the plant's abundant, sugar-rich nectar rewards.
host plant
Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia
The plant serves as a host for larval development, with caterpillars feeding on its foliage.
parasite
Black Bean Aphid
Aphis fabae
An insect pest that feeds on the sap of the plant's succulent, moisture-rich stems and leaves.
Traits
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Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
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Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
No special safety notes yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to identify Crimson Monkeyflower?
The easiest way to identify Crimson Monkeyflower is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.
What does Crimson Monkeyflower eat?
As a photosynthetic plant, it generates its own food using sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water, absorbing essential minerals through its roots.
Where is Crimson Monkeyflower usually found?
Typically found growing in wet canyon seeps, desert springs, and moist sandstone crevices of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
How does Crimson Monkeyflower hunt?
Photosynthesis
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