Practical
Plants

Mimulus guttatus

Yellow Monkey Flower

a perennial member of the Mimulus genus in the family Scrophulariaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Mimulus
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.6 m
Spread
0.6 m

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - raw or cooked[13][2][4][7]. A slightly bitter flavour, they are added to salads[5][8]. The leaves are used as a lettuce substitute[12].

Plant part
Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant is astringent, poultice and vulnerary[13][7][12]. A decoction of the leaves and stems has been used as a herbal steam bath for chest and back soreness[12]. A poultice of the crushed leaves has been applied to wounds, rope burns etc[12]. The plant is used in Bach flower remedies - the keywords for prescribing it are 'Fear or anxiety of a known origin'[11].

Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Bach
Product or use
Poultice
Product or use
Vulnerary

Environment

Range
Western N. America - Alaska to Mexico. Naturalized in Britain.
Habitat
Streams and wet places below 3000 metres[9]. Banks of streams in Britain, where it appears quite native[6].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
aquatic
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only lightly cover the seed[10]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. If you have sufficient seed it can also be sown in situ in late spring after the last expected frosts[10]. Division in spring[10]. Very easy, large divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer. Cuttings of softwood, 5cm long in spring or summer[10].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers rather moist places such as damp borders, margins of streams and boggy spots[1][3]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Thrives in full sun so long as the soil does not dry out[10], otherwise it is best grown in partial shade[9]. Grows well in shallow water, but it can be invasive[10]. Hardy to at least -20°c[9]. There is some confusion over the naming of this plant, the entry on edibility may refer to M. luteus, which is closely related to this species.

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  3. Sanders. T. W. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge 1926-00-00

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  4. Arnberger. L. P. Flowers of the Southwest Mountains. Southwestern Monuments Ass. 1968-00-00

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  5. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

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  6. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

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  7. Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.

    ↩1↩2

  8. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

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  9. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  10. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  11. Chancellor. P. M. Handbook of the Bach Flower Remedies C. W. Daniel Co. Ltd. 1985-00-00 ISBN 85207 002 0

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  12. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  13. Sweet. M. Common Edible and Useful Plants of the West. Naturegraph Co. 1962-00-00 ISBN 0-911010-54-8

    ↩1↩2

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