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Native Plant Propagation Guidelines:
forbs

Mimulus alsinoides (chickweed monkey-flower)

Category: 
forbs

photo by Kathryn Martell

Annual herb. Stems leafy, slender, nearly hairless to somewhat glandular-hairy, simple or freely branched, 5-30 cm tall. Leaves opposite, stalked, elliptic to triangular egg-shaped, irregularly toothed, thin, hairless, yellowish-green, three to five veined. Yellow flowers with a reddish-brown blotch on the lower lip, 8-14 mm long, two-lipped, four stamens, one to few on stalks at each node. Fruit an oblong-pointed capsule 5-7 mm long. Seeds numerous. Photo by Kathryn Martell.

Scientific Name: 

Mimulus alsinoides Dougl. ex Benth.

Family: 
Scrophulariaceae
English Name: 
chickweed monkey-flower

Geographical Range and Habitat Requirements

Ecological Setting: 

Vernally moist, often shady, mossy ledges, rocky slopes, mostly at low elevations (Pojar and MacKinnon,1994). Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands and lower Fraser Drainage (Douglas et al., 2000).

Soil Texture: 

Well-drained soils (Maslovat, personal communication)

Nutrients: 
n/a
Soil Reaction and Salinity: 

Prefers acidic soils (Maslovat, personal communication)

Moisture Regime: 

Seasonally moist to wet, xeric through summer (Hitchcock et al, 1961).

Shade Tolerance: 

Full sun to part shade (Pojar and MacKinnon, 1994).

Successional Status: 
n/a
BEC Zone and GOE Community Status: 

Found in moister Garry oak ecosystems (Maslovat, personal communication)

Uses

Site Rehabilitation: 
n/a
Wildlife: 
n/a
Landscaping: 

Showy annual for a moist, semi-shady rockery.

First Nations: 

No known uses.

Other Uses: 
n/a

Seed Propagation

Flowering Time: 

April to late June

Fruit Ripening Time: 

May to June

Seed Collection Time: 

May to June (Maslovat personal communication)

Crop Intervals: 
n/a
Number of Seeds per Kilogram: 
n/a
Seed Viability: 
n/a
Fruit and Seed Collection and Extraction: 

Seeds are small and difficult to collect. Cut capsules by hand when nearly ripe and place in collection bags. Allow capsules to open and shake bags to release seeds.

Seed Storage: 

Seeds are very small. Prolonged storage will probably decrease viability.

Fruit/Seed Dormancy and Treatment: 

Sow seeds in flats in fall or early spring. Because seeds are so small, mix with sand to get a proper distribution of seeds in the flat.

Vegetative Propagation

Not applicable for an annual species.

Outplanting Characteristics and Requirements

n/a

Seed and Cutting Propagation Techniques

n/a

Additional Information and Photos

For more information and pictures, visit the E-Flora BC website at www.eflora.bc.ca