A wetland plant with a long bloom time and unique pink flowers said to resemble a monkey’s face. A distinctive addition to pond edges and rain gardens that spreads very minimally. Rolling blooms mean that only a few flowers are open at once, but the bloom period can last for a month or more! Hosts the beautiful buckeye butterfly!

Light: Full Sun, Part Sun/Shade

Soil Moisture: Wet, Wet Mesic

Soil Type: Loam

Height: 2'-4'

Bloom Color: Lavender

Bloom Time: Jul-Sep

Root Type: Rhizome

Notable Wildlife Interactions: Flowers attract mainly bumblebees. Hosts the chalcedony midget moth and the buckeye butterfly. Not an aggressive spreader, but small populations are tall enough to shelter wetland animals. Possibly resistant to deer browsing.

Notes: The author doesn’t really see the ‘monkey’ resemblance. …actually, she doesn’t think she’s talked to anyone who sees it, either. Informal poll: is anyone at all getting ‘monkey’ out of the flower?