Red Bush Monkeyflower

Year-round

Red bush monkeyflower is a small evergreen shrub native to the coastal hills of Southern California, including Los Angeles County. It thrives in fast draining soil with little to no summer water and rewards hummingbirds and native bees with trumpet shaped red flowers for much of the year. In a Los Angeles garden it does best in a spot that mimics its native coastal sage scrub setting, some sun near the coast, light afternoon shade further inland.

• Native to the coastal hills and canyons from Los Angeles County south to San Diego County and northern Baja California.
• Give it full sun near the coast and part shade in hotter inland yards.
• Water only to get roots established, then let the plant rest dry through summer.
• Prune lightly, working only soft new growth and never cutting into old woody stems.
• Supports dozens of native bee and butterfly species and is a favorite stop for hummingbirds.

Fall

Fall in Los Angeles is often still hot and dry ahead of winter rain, so this native shrub should stay on its dry summer regimen through most of the season. Once the first real rain falls, usually in November or later, the plant starts waking back up from its summer rest. Fall is also a good planting window once temperatures cool, since roots have the whole wet season ahead to establish.

• Hold off on extra watering until after the first soaking rain of the season.
• Wait for cooler weather, typically October or November, before planting new stock.
• Skip heavy pruning while the plant is still in its dry season rest.
• Check the plant after the long dry summer, but skip spraying, it is rarely needed for this native.
• Fresh mulch now helps once rains return and roots start growing again.

Winter

Winter is the heart of the rainy season in Los Angeles, and red bush monkeyflower uses this time to put on new growth after its summer rest. Rain usually supplies all the water this plant needs, so extra irrigation is rarely necessary. In a mild Los Angeles winter, established plants can even keep blooming lightly.

• Skip supplemental watering during a normal rain year, natural rainfall is usually enough.
• This is a good season to plant if fall planting was missed, cool weather helps roots establish.
• Check drainage after heavy rain, this plant does not tolerate standing water.
• Light bloom can continue through winter in mild years, no special care needed for it.
• Save any structural shaping for spring once strong new growth resumes.

Spring

Spring is peak bloom for red bush monkeyflower in the Los Angeles area, with red trumpet flowers opening as the rainy season winds down. This is also the best time to plant a new one, while the soil still holds winter rain moisture. New growth comes on fast, so this is a good window to shape the plant lightly before it slows down for summer.

• Plant new nursery stock now while soil moisture from winter rain is still available.
• Expect the heaviest flush of red flowers from March into early summer.
• Do a light shaping prune on soft new growth right after the main flowering push.
• Cut back on supplemental water as spring rains taper off.
• Hummingbirds and native bees are most active on this plant now.

A light spring shaping keeps the shrub full and tidy for curb appeal, an easy HOA-friendly task.

Summer

Los Angeles summers are hot and dry, which is exactly the rest period this California native shrub expects. The plant often drops some leaves and slows down, a normal semi dormant response and not a sign of trouble. The most important care step this season is restraint, since too much summer water can kill this plant outright.

• Water at most once a month if the plant looks stressed, and only in the early morning.
• Do not water in late summer or early fall, this is when overwatering is most likely to kill the plant.
• Let the shrub go semi deciduous, dropping some leaves is a normal heat response.
• Skip pruning into old woody stems now, stick to soft tip growth only if needed.
• A layer of mulch around the base helps hold what little soil moisture remains.

Some summer leaf drop is normal for this native and is not a tidiness problem worth addressing for HOA-conscious front yards.