Deschampsia cespitosa ssp. holciformis – Jughandle
This form of tufted hairgrass from the Mendocino Coast has a different look than those farther south. The bright green blades are relatively broad and stiff. The flower stalks are 1 1/2 to 2 ft. tall with panicles which emerge greenish then turn golden. A natural for along the coast, a little shade and moisture inland. Deer resistant.
Deschampsia elongata
Graceful fine-textured perennial bunch grass, native to partly shaded, seasonally moist areas in California. Features bright green blades and gently arching flower stalks 12-18 inches tall. Yellowish-green in spring, turns soft gold in summer. Deer resistant.
Dicentra formosa
Ferny foliage makes a lacy groundcover in shady areas. Clusters of pendulous, pink, heart-shaped flowers in spring and into summer. Will spread rapidly when happy, enjoying moist but not soggy woodland conditions. Tolerates dry shade where it goes dormant with drought. Early nectar source for hummingbirds and bumble bees. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) ‘Changeling’
This charming hybrid monkeyflower offers a beautiful blend of soft orange, red, and cream hues on ruffly-edged, trumpet-shaped blossoms. As the mottled colors mellow with age, each bloom looks a little different from the next, adding to the appealing "changeling" effect. Foliage is evergreen and grows to 3 ft. tall and wide. Plant in full sun on the coast to light shade inland and give it well drained soil. Drought tolerant once established, but some occasional summer water is helpful. Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds work the flowers and the painted lady and checkerspot butterflies use it as a larval food source. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) ‘Creamsicle’
The trumpet-shaped blossoms of the 'Creamsicle' monkeyflower are a beautiful, light shade of pastel orange. With their white throats and dark orange nectar guides, the flowers have a two-toned affect. This is one of Phil Van Soelen's first hybrids using Diplacus bifidus from Bowman Lake in the Sierra Nevada (thanks to Ted Kipping). It has proved long lived in both Fulton and Sebastopol and has the useful characteristic of sprouting new growth from the base so that old growth can be pruned away. Evergreen foliage grows 2-3 feet tall and wide. Best with light shade, good drainage, and minimal summer water. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) ‘Eleanor’
The ‘Eleanor’ monkeyflower selection, introduced by Yerba Buena Nursery, offers an abundance of soft citrusy-yellow blossoms edged in white. Monkeyflowers are evergreen, floriferous subshrubs that bloom spring through the summer. This hybrid form grows to around 3-foot tall and wide. Best with good drainage, light shade, and occasional deep watering once established. Avoid drip irrigation. Pinching older stems helps produce a fresh, dense habit for these profusely blooming plants. Monkeyflowers are deer resistant, and are a larval food source for the painted lady and checkerspot butterflies.
Diplacus (Mimulus) ‘Fiesta Marigold’
Selected for its large, frilly, brick-red blossoms with orange edging, this striking monkeyflower hybrid comes from horticulturalist Richard Persoff. It is also a relatively compact form at 18 inches to 2 feet tall and wide. Valued for their long bloom season, monkeyflowers perform best with good drainage and sun to light shade. Drought tolerant, but some occasional summer water is helpful. Monkeyflowers benefit from pinching to produce a nice shape and strong structure to hold the abundant blossoms. Highly attractive to bees and hummingbirds. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) ‘Georgie Red’
This hybrid monkey flower has large, brick-red flowers that have an apricot edge to the frilly petals. The result of a breeding program by Ball Horticultural Co. using both wild and commercial material, it has a compact habit, growing 1-2 ft. tall and wide . Monkeyflowers prefer good drainage in sun to light shade with occasional deep watering. Humming bird favorites and deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) ‘Grape’
Large, open-mouthed flowers in a fruity purple with white throats and edging make the 'Grape' monkeyflower vibrant and showy. The lush, deep-green foliage stays a compact 2-foot or more tall and wide. This unique selection comes from Bay Area horticulturalist and teacher, Kathy Echols. Plant in full sun on the coast to part shade inland and give it good drainage. Best with occasional summer watering and pinching to keep good form. A favorite of hummingbirds and other pollinators. Checkerspot and buckeye butterfly larval food source. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) ‘Jelly Bean Dark Pink’
This fine selection by monkeyflower breeder Richard Persoff has large, showy flowers in a dark rosy-pink with orange throats and white edging. As the flowers age, their color becomes paler, creating a dramatic contrast between new and old flowers. Selected for its attractive foliage, floriferousness, and compact habit, it grows to 2 ft. tall and wide. Monkeyflowers are dought tolerant once established, but need good drainage and occasional deep watering to keep the flowers coming. Plant in full sun along the coast and light shade inland. A favorite of hummingbirds and butterflies. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) ‘Jelly Bean Gold’
This cheerful monkeyflower boasts impressive displays of sunny yellow flowers throughout most of the year. One of Richard Persoff’s hybrid selections known for their vibrant color and profuse, long-lasting blooms. The lush, evergreen foliage is a compact 2-feet tall and wide, and with periodic pinching back of stems, stays dense and bushy. Monkeyflowers are drought tolerant, but provide them with afternoon shade and occasional summer water to extend the blooming season. Grows even in poor soils so long as it has good drainage. A favorite nectar plant for hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. The painted lady and checkerspot butterflies use it as a larval food source.
Diplacus (Mimulus) ‘Jelly Bean Lemon’
A selection from the Jelly Bean series of hybrid monkeyflowers with glowing, lemon-yellow, frilly flowers that decorate the branch tips over a long period. Dark green compact foliage grows 18 inches to 2 ft. tall and wide. Valued for their long bloom period, monkeyflowers perform best with good drainage and sun to light shade. Drought tolerant, but some occasional summer water is helpful. Benefits from pinching to produce a nice shape and strong structure to hold the abundant blossoms. Nice in containers too. Highly attractive to bees and hummingbirds. Deer resistant. Formerly: Mimulus 'Jelly Bean Lemon.'
Diplacus (Mimulus) ‘Jelly Bean Orange’
This bright and multi-toned orange selection from the Jelly Bean Series of hybrid monkeyflowers was chosen for its compact habit and heavy display of frilly blossoms. Monkeyflowers are a useful group of free-flowering, drought-tolerant, native sub-shrubs that bloom spring through summer. Provide good drainage, light shade and careful watering. Monkeyflowers do best with an occasional deep watering in the summer and pinching to form good support for the profuse blossoms. Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds work the flowers and the painted lady and checkerspot butterflies use it as a larval food source. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) ‘Pamela’
This monkeyflower hybrid offers striking, golden-yellow flowers with white edging. Monkeyflowers are shrubby perennials, beloved for their showy displays of frilly, trumpet-shaped flowers from mid spring through summer. This selection comes from Susan Ashley, a Bay Area grower and instructor of plant propagation. Relatively compact, it will grow 1 to 2 foot tall by 2 foot wide, with narrow, shiny, dark-green foliage. Plant in full sun on the coast to light shade inland, with good drainage. Drought tolerant once established, but occasional deep watering extends the bloom period. Pinching stems helps produce a sturdy structure to hold its abundant blossoms. Highly attractive to bees and hummingbirds, and a larval food source for painted lady and checkerspot butterflies. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) ‘Peach Hybrid’
This dependable monkeyflower hybrid is one of the oldest in our collection. The large, frilly blossoms are a rich peachy-orange and bloom profusely from spring through autumn. Grows 2-3 ft. tall, but benefits from pinching back to keep compact. A drought tolerant shrub that can grow in full sun on the coast to part shade inland. Monkeyflowers require good drainage and respond to occasional watering, but resent drip irrigation systems that deliver water on a regular basis. A larval food source for painted lady and checkerspot butterflies. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) ‘Phil’s White’
The blooms of this monkeyflower hybrid open as a pale ivory-yellow and mature to a cool white. 'Phil's White' is a cross between the lovely White Verity Diplacus (Mimulus) hybrid and Diplacus bifidus from Bowman Lake in the Sierra Nevada (thanks to Ted Kipping). It has proved long-lived in both Fulton and Sebastopol. Foliage is evergreen but benefits from occasional pinching of older stems. This selection has the useful characteristic of sprouting new growth from the base so that old growth can be pruned away. Best with light shade and good drainage. Water occasionally for best blooms. The flowers provide nectar for hummingbirds and butterflies. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) ‘Trish’
Large rosy-pink flowers are the hallmark of this hybrid monkeyflower developed by Richard Persoff. Monkeyflowers are evergreen, drought tolerant sub-shrubs with attractive tubular flowers. This is a restrained form at 1 - 2 ft. tall and wide. Best with good drainage, light shade and careful watering. Give it occasional deep soaks in the summer and pinch the stems to create a good support for the abundant flowers. Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds work the flowers and painted lady and checkerspot butterflies use it as a larval food source. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) ‘U.C. Hybrid’
A rich-toned hybrid monkeyflower displaying mamalade-orange flowers with contrasting burnished-red throats. Monkeyflowers are 2-3-foot evergreen subshrubs that bloom from spring through summer, and this cultivar is an especially verdant and vigorous form. Does best with good drainage, and prefers afternoon shade inland. Thrives when kept on the dry side with occasional deep summer waterings. Stems can be pinched to form a stronger, denser framework to support its floriferous branches. Hummingbirds, butterflies and bees enjoy the flowers. A larval food source for checkerspot and painted lady butterflies. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) ‘Vibrant Red’
This monkeyflower hybrid sports large, tubular flowers in a vibrant dark red with yellow nectar guides, a color combination highly attractive to hummingbirds and pollinators. The glossy green foliage grows 2 ft. or more tall and wide and is the perfect foil for the showy, late spring and summer blossoms. Pinch back older stems to keep it looking fresh and dense. Monkeyflowers can be planted in full sun to light shade, but prefer afternoon shade inland. Needs good drainage and occasional summer water. A larval food source for buckeye and checkerspot butterflies. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) ‘Willits Apricot’
A chance seedling, this apricot-yellow monkeyflower appeared in a Willits garden near plantings of other hybrids. The large, trumpet-like flowers are elegant and buttery-soft in tone. A vigorous and willing grower, the evergreen foliage reaches up to 3 ft. tall and wide. Does well in full sun on the coast to light shade inland, and prefers good drainage. Best with occasional deep watering in the summer and pinching to form good support for the abundant flowers. Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds work the flowers and the painted lady and checkerspot butterflies use it as a larval food source. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) aurantiacus
Sticky monkeyflower is the native monkeyflower species that brightens the hills and coast around Sonoma County. From spring through summer, its profuse yellow-orange tubular flowers decorate evergreen foliage reaching 2-4 feet tall and wide. An unbeatable habitat plant that is highly attractive to hummingbirds. Give it good drainage and keep on the dry side. Thrives in full sun near coast with light shade inland, and benefits from light annual trimming. A larval food source for the common checkerspot and buckeye butterflies. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) aurantiacus ‘Freezeout Creek’
This stand-out form of our local native monkeyflower was found growing on a slope near a lush redwood forest in western Sonoma County. Instead of the more typical yellow-orange, the trumpet-shaped flowers of 'Freezeout Creek' are larger and boast velvety red petals edged with gold. Monkeyflowers are evergreen sub-shrubs, that grow 2 -4 ft. tall, and bloom profusely in the late spring and into summer. Plant in full sun on the coast to light shade inland and give it decent drainage. Drought tolerant once established but responds to occasional summer water, especially when blooming. Benefits from annual pruning and pinching. The flowers are pollinated by bees and hummingbirds and are a host plant for checkerspot and buckeye butterflies. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) aurantiacus ‘Mattole Point’
Found along the Lost Coast near the mouth of the Mattole River by Mark Moore of the Humboldt Botanic Garden, this fine selection of our native sticky monkeyflower has particularly beautiful evergreen foliage and a compact habit with glossy, dark-green, deeply veined leaves. The abundant orange, tubular flowers are tucked into the dense foliage which grows 2 ft. or so tall and wide. Plant in full sun on the coast to light shade inland and provide good drainage and occasional summer water. Hummingbirds and bees use the flowers and it is a larval food source for checkerspot and buckeye butterflies. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) aurantiacus ‘Rodeo Gold’
This form of sticky monkeyflower offers warm yellow tubular flowers with a golden throat, rather than the more usual orange flowers. This Cal Flora Nursery selection was found in southern coastal Marin County. Evergreen foliage grows roughly 3 ft. tall and wide. Benefits from pinching back of older stems to keep it denser. Plant in full sun on the coast to part shade insland, and provide with occasional summer water. Monkeyflowers are attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies and other pollinators. The checkerspot and buckeye butterflies use it as a larval food source. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) aurantiacus ‘Russian Gulch’
From the bluffs of the Sonoma Coast comes this beautifully compact form of sticky monkeyflower. The shiny, evergreen leaves are spaced to form a tight mound, 2 ft or so tall and wide. From late spring into autumn, cheerful, orange, tubular flowers cover the dense foliage. Makes a colorful, drought-tolerant addition to the garden where it can grow in full sun on the coast to part shade inland. Benefits from pinching to form a strong framework to support the flower display. Requires good drainage and responds to occasional watering, but resents drip irrigation systems that deliver water on a regular basis. Hummingbirds and bees relish the flowers and it is the larval food source for checkerspot and buckeye butterflies. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) aurantiacus ‘Ted’s Yellow’
Grows 2 - 3 ft. tall with yellow tubular flowers. Full sun near coast, light shade inland. Good drainage, keep on the dry side and fertilize minimally. Benefits from annual trimming. Larval food source for the common checkerspot and buckeye butterflies. The flowers provide nectar for hummingbirds. Deer resistant.
Diplacus (Mimulus) bifidus ‘Esselen’
We have been impressed with this fine selection from Big Sur, which offers compact habit, shiny green foliage and broad bright-orange flowers over a long period. Plant in sun to light shade with little to occasional summer water. Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds all work the flowers and it is a larval food source for the Checkerspot butterfly. Deer resistant.