We usually encounter pink monkeyflower in seep zones, seasonal stream channels, and wet meadows in subalpine areas in the mountains in summer. The first time I ran into mimulus lewisii in flower was in 1969 when I hiked around Helm Lake and Mimulus Lake on my way to Helm Glacier (and up Gentian Ridge) in Garibaldi Provincial Park. The image of the bright pink flowers in the green meadows is still remembered after all these years We found them again this year on July Mountain, then on Battle Mountain in summer.

• Mimulus lewisii is a perennial which grows from thick, branching rhizomes to a height of 30 to 60 cm.
• The unbranched stems are sticky and hairy to the touch.
• Large oval to lanceolate leaves with pointed tips and toothed along the edges are also hairy and sticky.
• The inflorescences are large and showy with pink to purple hairy tubular-shaped flowers with yellow ridges on the lower lip.
• All photos taken by the author. Click an image for a lightbox view and caption.

• Capsules with many seeds form after flowering.
• The stigmas are sensitive to the touch (the flower sill start to close which is conjectured to be helpful in the pollination process).
• Pink monkey flower is also called Lewis’s monkey flower or purple monkey flower.

We are looking forward to hiking to subalpine meadows in June and July where we will re-encounter pink monkey flower.