# 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!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Wetlands

![wingstem monkeyflower](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Erythranthe_alsinoides_at_Northern_Crags_-_Flickr_-_brewbooks_%281%29.jpg&width=800)

Photo: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Erythranthe_alsinoides_at_Northern_Crags_-_Flickr_-_brewbooks_%281%29.jpg)

## 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.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Lamiales
- **Family:** Phrymaceae
- **Genus:** Erythranthe

## 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

- **Water Whisperer:** Wingstem monkeyflower can grow with its roots in flowing water, adapting to moist, swampy, or even submerged habitats.
- **Nectar Navigator:** Its vibrant yellow petals and internal markings act as a clear roadmap, guiding thirsty bees directly to its sugary nectar.
- **Tiny Seed Spread:** 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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — Graze on the leaves and tender stems

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [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.
- [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.
- [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/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.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch flowers unless you know they are safe!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify wingstem 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 wingstem monkeyflower?

10-40 cm

### How wide does wingstem monkeyflower spread?

15-30 cm

### How big are the flowers on wingstem monkeyflower?

1-2 cm

### When does wingstem monkeyflower bloom?

Spring to early Summer

### Is wingstem monkeyflower edible?

No

### Is wingstem monkeyflower toxic?

None

### What is wingstem monkeyflower's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Mount Maxwell Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mount-maxwell-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park
- [Mount Wells Regional Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mount-wells-regional-park) — British Columbia, CA · Park

## 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*)

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Source: [Wingstem Monkeyflower: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wingstem-monkeyflower)