Sticky (Bush) Monkey Flowers

​Diplacus aurantiacus

Sticky Monkey Flowers were one of the first wildflowers I learned how to identify. They are so named because the flower supposedly looks like a monkey’s face, and its leaves produce a sticky resin, so if you aren’t sure, feel its leaves.  

It is an early bloomer, usually appearing in March. The most common varieties are yellow to orangish, but if you know where to look, you can also find red flowers. The photo included is one I took of a plant that had both!

They grow in drier ecosystems and are drought-tolerant, so even in low-flower years, you can still find Monkey Flowers.

I would include them amongst my favorite species to find. They are shrubs, so sometimes you can be lucky and spot a giant bush in bloom. Their smiling flowers make me happy and, as much as I abhor being sticky, even their tacky leaves bring me joy.
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My writing about them does not do them justice, so here are a bunch of photos for your perusal. 

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