# orange bush monkeyflower (*Diplacus aurantiacus*) The orange bush monkeyflower is a bright and cheerful flower that loves to grow in sunny places. Its vibrant orange color attracts many butterflies and bees, making gardens lively and colorful. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 63 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![orange bush monkeyflower](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Sticky_Monkey-Flower_-_Diplacus_aurantiacus_%2842229615904%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Björn S..., CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sticky_Monkey-Flower_-_Diplacus_aurantiacus_%2842229615904%29.jpg) ## Appearance The orange bush monkeyflower has vibrant orange, trumpet-shaped flowers, sometimes marked with red or yellow dots, that bloom in clusters. Its deep green leaves are sticky to the touch and grow opposite each other along woody stems, giving it a dense, bushy appearance. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Phrymaceae - **Genus:** Diplacus ## Interesting facts - Indigenous peoples traditionally used its leaves and flowers for food and medicine. - Its common name comes from the flower's resemblance to a grinning monkey's face! - The sticky residue on its leaves feels like sap but actually helps protect the plant! - This tough plant can even grow on rocky cliffs and steep, dry hillsides! ## Special abilities - **Sticky Shield:** Orange bush monkeyflower has sticky leaves that help deter small insects from eating it and reduce water loss. - **Drought Defender:** Orange bush monkeyflower can survive long periods without water, thanks to adaptations for arid environments. - **Fire Follower:** Orange bush monkeyflower rapidly re-sprouts or germinates after wildfires, quickly recolonizing burnt areas. - **Pollinator Beacon:** Its bright, tubular flowers attract specific pollinators like hummingbirds and long-tongued bees for reproduction. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-150 cm - **Spread:** 30-100 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** Western Bumble Bee (*Bombus vosnesenskii*) — Visits flowers for nectar - **Pollinates:** [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) — Feeds on flower nectar - **Eaten by:** [Common Buckeye](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-buckeye) (*Junonia coenia*) — Caterpillars feed on leaves ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Everblooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/everblooming): Everblooming plants produce flowers continuously or in repeated flushes over a long period. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch flowers without asking an adult first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify orange bush monkeyflower? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is orange bush monkeyflower? 30-150 cm ### How wide does orange bush monkeyflower spread? 30-100 cm ### How big are the flowers on orange bush monkeyflower? 2-5 cm ### When does orange bush monkeyflower bloom? Spring to fall ### Is orange bush monkeyflower edible? Yes ### Is orange bush monkeyflower toxic? None ### What is orange bush monkeyflower's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/armstrong-redwoods-state-natural-reserve) — California, US · State Park - [Atchison Village](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/atchison-village) — California, US · Neighborhood - [Benbow Lake State Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/benbow-lake-state-recreation-area) — California, US · State Park - [Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/black-diamond-mines-regional-preserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Forts Baker, Barry, and Cronkhite](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/forts-baker-barry-and-cronkhite) — California, US · Historic District - [Hakone Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hakone-gardens) — California, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see orange bush monkeyflower](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/orange-bush-monkeyflower) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Orange Bush Monkeyflower: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/orange-bush-monkeyflower)