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| Category: Shrub |
| Family: Phrymaceae (previously Scrophulariaceae) |
| Origin: California (U.S.A.) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Orange |
| Bloomtime: Year-round |
| Synonyms: [Diplacus] |
| Height: 1-2 feet |
| Width: 1-2 feet |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Mimulus 'Pumpkin' (Orange Monkey Flower) - This sub-shrub grows to 2' tall with dark green foliage that sets off the large flowers which have a reddish-orange floral tube and bright orange lobes. Flowering peaks in spring but there are often some flowers on this plant nearly year-round. Plant in sun/part shade in well-drained soil. After plants are established, fertilize and water sparingly. Hardy to 20-25 ° F. We first heard about this plant in 2001 when at horticulture advisory meeting at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Plant Sale. It was noted that Nevin Smith had commented on this cultivar's vigor and disease resistance so we purchased plants from Suncrest Nursery and for a while we were under the presumption that it was Nevin Smith's introduction but Nevin said he got it from Cornflower Farms and they claim they never grew it so its origins remain a bit of a mystery. In 2004 in an effort to figure out who introduced this plant we sent an email to everyone we knew who grew or bred monkeyflowers and while many people responded, the origin of this plant remained a mystery until Dagmar Collins responded that she was the one to select and name this plant noting that "In the early 90s I experimented with a mixed bag of seed I received from a friend (they originally came from from Gerda Isenberg in the Bay Area). From these I selected M. 'Pumpkin', M. 'Canary Frills', and M. 'Pale Moon' " – way to go Dagmar!! . 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.
Information displayed on this page about Mimulus 'Pumpkin' is based on the research conducted about it in our library and from reliable online resources. We also note those observations we have made of this plant as it grows in the nursery's garden and in other gardens, as well how crops have performed in our nursery field. We will incorporate comments we receive from others, and welcome to hear from anyone who may have additional information, particularly if they share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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