Purple monkeyflower
Mimulus lewisii
Last reviewed: August 2026
Light
part sun
Water
high
Size
12"–30" H × 12"–18" W
Bloom
Jun, Jul, Aug
Native to
CA, CO, ID, MT and 5 more states
Pollinators
bumble bees, hummingbirds
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 431 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaAn upright perennial with soft, sticky leaves and large, showy pink to magenta tubular flowers held above the foliage through summer. It grows in wet soil along streambanks in high mountain habitat and can sprawl if kept too moist.
Wildlife value
The large tubular flowers are a favorite of bumble bees and hummingbirds in summer meadows.
Common questions
- How much sun does Purple monkeyflower need?
- Purple monkeyflower grows best in part sun conditions.
- When does Purple monkeyflower bloom?
- Purple monkeyflower blooms in June, July, and August.
- Where is Purple monkeyflower native?
- Purple monkeyflower (Mimulus lewisii) is native to CA, CO, ID, MT and 5 more states, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
- What pollinators does Purple monkeyflower attract?
- Purple monkeyflower draws bumble bees and hummingbirds.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
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