Native Plants

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Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia

Mimulus moschatus

Mimulus moschatus Douglas ex Lindl.

Muskflower

Scrophulariaceae (Figwort Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: MIMO3

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N), SPM (I)

A sticky, hairy, musk-scented plant with bilaterally symmetrical, tubular, yellow, flattish-faced flowers in leaf axils on a weak, ascending stem.

Originally native to North America from the Rockies west, as far north as British Columbia and as far south as southern California, this plant has apparently escaped from cultivation over much of its present range. It can be used in wetland wildflower gardens. Two other species, both known as Yellow Monkeyflower, have smooth stems and yellow flowers: M. guttatus has flowers 1/2-1 3/4" (1.5-4.5 cm) long, with essentially closed throats, and is naturalized from western North America, occurring in Newfoundland, New Brunswick, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and probably elsewhere in the East; M. glabratus has flowers 1/4-1" (6-25 mm) long, with wide-open throats, and is found from Alberta to Quebec and from Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, and the Dakotas south to Texas.

From the Image Gallery

3 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 16 inches tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: CA , CO , CT , ID , MA , ME , MI , MT , NC , NH , NJ , NV , NY , OR , PA , UT , VA , VT , WA , WV , WY
Canada: BC , NB , NL , NS , ON , PE , QC
Native Distribution: Ontario east to Newfoundland, south to North Carolina, and northwest to West Virginia; Michigan; also in much of West.
Native Habitat: Streambanks and pondsides.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	OBL		FACW		OBL	OBL			OBL	OBL

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA

Web Reference

Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) Calflora
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Mimulus moschatus in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Mimulus moschatus in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Mimulus moschatus

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-05-18
Research By: TWC Staff

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