Hydroponic Monkey Flower: Mimulus in Flooded Gravel and Tubs
A hydroponic monkey flower grows with its roots in wet media under a thin layer of water. Allegheny monkey flower (Mimulus ringens) is a North American native that grows at marsh edges and pond margins.
The short answer
Plant Allegheny monkey flower in a 1 to 2 gallon container of rich soil. NC State suggests covering it with 0.5 to 2 inches of water. Give it full to part sun. Lavender flowers open from summer into fall. It is hardy in USDA Zones 3 to 8.
Which monkey flowers like wet roots?
NC State calls Allegheny monkey flower a rhizomatous native that grows well in part shade. The NC State wetland plants guide places it at marsh edges, pond margins and bogs. UT Smart Yards adds wet to moderately wet loamy soil.
A pond margin spot with wet loam matches its wild habitat.
How do you plant mimulus in gravel or tubs?
NC State suggests 1 to 2 gallon containers in rich soil with 0.5 to 2 inches of water over the top. Colorado State Extension suggests heavy clay loam for aquatic pots, and a gravel cap holds the soil in place.
| Option | What it does | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 gallon pot | Fits a single plant | Mimulus ringens (Allegheny monkey flower), NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox |
| Heavy clay loam | Stays in place under water | Water gardens: planting aquatic plants (PlantTalk 1026), Colorado State University Extension |
| Shallow water cover | 0.5 to 2 inches over the soil | Mimulus ringens (Allegheny monkey flower), NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox |
How do you get monkey flower to bloom longer?
UT Smart Yards says it blooms from summer into fall and grows easily when its water needs are met. The NC State wetland guide lists blooms from June to September on long stalks. Full or part sun helps.
Steady water meets its wet root needs, so hold the level constant through summer.
How to: step by step
- Choose Allegheny monkey flower from a native plant nursery.
- Pot it in a 1 to 2 gallon container of rich soil.
- Cap the soil with a thin layer of gravel.
- Set the pot so 0.5 to 2 inches of water covers it.
- Place it in full to part sun.
- Top up the water so the roots stay wet.
Troubleshooting
Few flowers: low light, so move it to more sun.
Wilting leaves: dry roots, so raise the water level.
Plant spreading: creeping rhizomes and self seeding, so pull extra plants.
Kind Seed Co shares these plant notes for growers of all kinds. For more on root media see hydroponic in different mediums. Read caring for your hydroponic system for system care. See aquarium water for cannabis and pond water for cannabis for related water notes.
Sources
- Mimulus ringens (Allegheny monkey flower), NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- NC common wetland plants guide: Mimulus ringens, NC State University
- Mimulus ringens, University of Tennessee Smart Yards
- Water gardens: planting aquatic plants (PlantTalk 1026), Colorado State University Extension
FAQ
Is monkey flower native?
Yes. NC State lists Allegheny monkey flower as native to North America.
Can it sit in standing water?
Yes. NC State suggests covering the pot with 0.5 to 2 inches of water.
Does it come back each year?
Yes. The NC State wetland guide lists it as a perennial. UT Smart Yards notes it spreads by self seeding and creeping rhizomes.
Do pollinators visit?
NC State and UT Smart Yards list it as a larval host for the common buckeye butterfly. NC State adds the Baltimore checkerspot.
How tall does monkey flower grow?
NC State and UT Smart Yards list Allegheny monkey flower at 1 to 3 feet tall.
