wingstem monkeyflower

Erythranthe alsinoides

The wingstem monkeyflower is a bright and cheerful flower that loves to grow near water. Its fun shape and color make it a favorite among butterflies and bees!

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The wingstem monkeyflower has bright yellow, tubular flowers with two distinct lips, often sporting small red-brown spots resembling a monkey's face. Its delicate green stems are slender, and it often grows in dense clumps along waterways. The unique flower shape helps distinguish it from other yellow wildflowers.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderLamialesFamilyPhrymaceaeGenusErythranthe

wingstem monkeyflower

Interesting facts

Despite its delicate look, this plant is a pioneer, quickly growing in newly disturbed wet areas!

Its name 'monkeyflower' comes from some people thinking the flower looks like a grinning monkey face!

The flowers often have tiny red-brown spots, like freckles, on their lower lip.

Tiny hairy parts inside the flower guide visiting bees straight to the sweet nectar.

Special abilities

Wingstem monkeyflower can grow with its roots in flowing water, adapting to moist, swampy, or even submerged habitats.

Its vibrant yellow petals and internal markings act as a clear roadmap, guiding thirsty bees directly to its sugary nectar.

This plant produces many tiny seeds that can be carried by water or wind, helping it colonize new wet areas.

Measurements & details

Height: 10-40 cm
Spread: 15-30 cm
Flower Size: 1-2 cm
Bloom Season: Spring to early Summer
Edible: No
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

pollinates

Yellow-faced Bumble Bee

Bombus vosnesenskii

Visits flowers for nectar and pollen

pollinates

European Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

Gathers nectar and pollen from blooms

eaten by

Black Slug

Arion ater

Graze on the leaves and tender stems

Traits

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Spring Blooming

Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.