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| Category: Shrub |
| Family: Phrymaceae (previously Scrophulariaceae) |
| Origin: California (U.S.A.) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Orange Red |
| Bloomtime: Year-round |
| Synonyms: [Diplacus] |
| Height: 2-3 feet |
| Width: 2-3 feet |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Mimulus 'Sunset Ridge' (Monkeyflower) - A small sub-shrub to 2 feet tall with narrow dull green leaves and flowers with a beautiful combination of orange and red, similar to the best of sunsets. Plant in well-drained soils full sun to light shade. Water infrequently or not at all once established. This plant was collected on Sunset Ridge in the San Gabriel Mountains by Tom Nuccio of Nuccio's Nursery in Altadena. Sunset Ridge, a ridge across the canyon from Nuccio's Nursery, was the site of a pre-1900s dwelling. Tom Nucio speculated that the person who had lived there had planted Mimulus which may have crossed with Mimulus aurantiacus native to the site. There were several different color forms collected from the site.. In the newest treatment of the tribe Mimuleae, which includes Diplacus, Mimulus, and Mimetanthe, these plants have been removed from the Figwort family, Scrophulariaceae, and placed with the genus Phryma (previously included in Verbenaceae) into the new family Phrymaceae. The woody species of Mimulus that are the parents of most of the hybrids have been separated into the genus Diplacus in the past, then gone back to Mimulus, but in the current treatment in the UC Berkeley Jepson eFlora all of the woody Mimulus are back in the genus Diplacus. This change has not been accepted by all and not to cause undo confusion for our customers and staff, we continue to use the name Mimulus until such time as this name change is more widely known. The original generic name is from the Latin word 'mimus' meaning "mimic actor" that is derived from the Greek word 'mimos' that means means "imitator" and references the flowers that look like painted faces. The name Diplacus comes from the Greek words 'di' meaning "two" or "double" and 'plax' or 'plakos' meaning "a flat round plate", "tablet" or "broad surface" in reference to the manner in with the fruit capsule splits.
The information provided on this page is based on research we have conducted about this plant in our nursery's library, from what we have found about it on reliable online sources, as well as from observations in our nursery of crops of this plant as well as of plants growing in the nursery's garden and those in other gardens. We will also incorporate comments received from others and welcome getting feedback from anyone who may have additional information, particularly if it includes cultural information that would aid others in growing Mimulus 'Sunset Ridge'. |
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