Erythranthe guttata

Common Names

Seep Monkeyflower, Common Monkeyflower, Golden Monkeyflower, Yellow Monkeyflower, Common Yellow Monkeyflower, Monkeyflower, Common Large Monkeyflower

Summary

Yellow monkeyflower, native to western North America, is a herbaceous, rhizomatous perennial that forms mats of green foliage in moist habitats such as damp borders, stream margins, and boggy spots. It grows 6–36 inches tall with opposite oval leaves and bright yellow bilabiate flowers bearing red spots on the lower lip, providing a distinctive display that attracts pollinators such as bumblebees.

In cultivation, this species prefers full sun to partial shade and consistently moist, loamy soil with adequate drainage; hardy in zones 3–9. Propagation occurs by seed or division, and the plant spreads vigorously by seed and rhizomes, making it well suited for wet landscapes such as bog gardens, rain gardens, ponds, and streamside plantings, while attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Lifecycle

Annual and Perennial

Height

4 inches-5 feet

Spread

1-3 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-9

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Moist, loamy soil with good drainage

Soil Drainage

Moist, well-drained soils

Soil pH

Tolerates all pH levels

Bloom Color

Yellow with red spots

Bloom Time

Spring and Summer (April–September; varies by elevation: Spring at low elevations, Summer at high elevations).

Foliage Color

Light green foliage

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Fast growth with rapid spread; self-seeds; spreads by seed and rhizomes; can be invasive in moist spots

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer, Spring, Summer, Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Division, Layering, Stolons or rhizomes (vegetative propagation)

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, birds