Scarlet Monkeyflower

Erythranthe cardinalis

Scarlet monkeyflower lines streams, seeps, and moist forests throughout the western United States [1]. A perennial herb with brilliant red, tubular flowers that bloom through the summer, Scarlet monkeyflower favors reliably wet places and is often found growing along the sides of willows, alders, and ferns, at the intersection of groundwater and light [2].

The flowers are designed to be pollinated by hummingbirds, with narrow tubes, flared edges, and nectar hidden well within [3]. The plant has soft, sticky leaves that grow in opposite pairs up along stiff stems. Scarlet monkeyflower is at home in consistently moist soils where it can take over areas, forming large, colorful carpets.

For a variety of medicinal applications including ceremonial medicine, eye medicine, snake-bite remedy, and general panacea, the plant is recorded among the Ramah Navajo [4]. It is also a favorite among hummingbirds and other pollinators, as well as native plant enthusiasts who widely recommend it for wet-area native plantings, gardens, and restoration projects [5].

A flash of color at the water’s edge, Scarlet monkeyflower is one of the most recognizable wildflowers in the West, a sign that beauty is often right where the soil is wet and the air is cool.

[1] Calscape. “Erythranthe cardinalis (Scarlet Monkeyflower).” https://calscape.org/Erythranthe-cardinalis-(Scarlet-Monkeyflower)

[2] Santa Monica Mountains Task Force. “Plant of the Month – Scarlet Monkey Flower (Erythranthe cardinalis).” https://www.smmtc.org/plantofthemonth/Scarlet_Monkey_Flower.php

[3] Beardsley, P. M., A. Yen, and R. G. Olmstead. “AFLP Phylogeny of Mimulus Section Erythranthe and the Evolution of Hummingbird Pollination.” Evolution 57, no. 6 (2003): 1397–1410. https://doi.org/10.1554/02-086

[4] Native American Ethnobotany Database (BRIT). “Mimulus cardinalis — Ramah Navajo: Drug, Ceremonial Medicine; Eye Medicine; Panacea; Snake Bite Remedy.” http://naeb.brit.org/uses/39197/

[5] Theodore Payne Foundation. “Mimulus (Erythranthe) cardinalis.” https://www.theodorepayne.org/