Herb: Yellow Monkey Flower


Latin name: Mimulus guttatus


Family: Scrophulariaceae (Figwort Family)



Medicinal use of Yellow Monkey Flower:

The plant is astringent, poultice and vulnerary. A decoction of the leaves and stems has been used as a herbal steam bath for chest and back soreness. A poultice of the crushed leaves has been applied to wounds, rope burns etc. The plant is used in Bach flower remedies - the keywords for prescribing it are "Fear or anxiety of a known origin".

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
60 cm
(2 feet)

Flowering:
July to
September

Habitat of the herb:

Streams and wet places below 3000 metres. Banks of streams in Britain, where it appears quite native.

Edible parts of Yellow Monkey Flower:

Leaves - raw or cooked. A slightly bitter flavour, they are added to salads. The leaves are used as a lettuce substitute.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only lightly cover the seed. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. If you have sufficient seed it can also be sown in situ in late spring after the last expected frosts. Division in spring. Very easy, large divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer. Cuttings of softwood, 5cm long in spring or summer.

Cultivation of Yellow Monkey Flower:

Streams and wet places below 3000 metres. Banks of streams in Britain, where it appears quite native.

Known hazards of Mimulus guttatus:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.