Mimulus 'Trish'

As we have written before, fall is a terrific time to plant California native plants.  At Markham, we have an excellent selection including some which are in bloom now.  One of the showiest of these natives is Mimulus 'Trish'.   This shrubby perennial grows to 2-3 feet tall and wide.  Dark green glossy foliage shows off dusky rose-red flowers that bloom profusely much of the year.  It requires little water when established and it likes full sun or part shade.  Cut it back some in the early spring to keep it bushy and full. 

This mimulus looks great in a perennial bed or even in a container.  The California Native Plant Society has a picture on their website of a beautiful container planted with Mimulus 'Trish' and Foothill Penstemon (penstemon heterophyllos) http://www.cnps.org/cnps/grownative/garden_plans-container.php).

Editor's Notes:  Mimulus have received a lot of attention for their wide variety of color and desirable garden traits. This Mimulus is apparently one of many that have been hybridized from the native Mimulus... you can find an extensive gallery of the various cultivars either selected or hybridized from the native Mimulus at the Theodore Payne website... home of many native plant introductions to the garden.