Red monardella facts for kids

Monardella macrantha is a pretty flowering plant often called the red monardella. It belongs to the mint family. You can find this plant growing naturally in the coastal mountains of southern California and Baja California. It likes to live in different places like chaparral (a type of shrubland), woodlands, and forests.

What Does Red Monardella Look Like?

The red monardella is a plant that comes back every year, called a perennial herb. It grows in a low, bushy shape with thin stems. Its leaves are thick and shiny green, and they can be up to 3 centimeters long.

The plant's flowers grow in a cluster, like a small bouquet. This cluster is called an inflorescence. The flowers are shaped like tubes and bloom inside a cup of green leaves with red tips. These special leaves are called bracts and can be up to 4 centimeters wide. The flowers themselves are bright red or yellowish. They can be longer than 4 centimeters and have narrow openings with small lobes.

Why People Grow Red Monardella

People grow red monardella in special plant nurseries. It's a popular ornamental plant, which means people grow it because it looks nice in gardens. It's great for native plant gardens because it naturally grows in California.

This plant is also very good for drought tolerant gardens. This means it doesn't need a lot of water to survive, which is helpful in dry areas. It's used in natural landscapes and habitat gardens too. Habitat gardens help provide food and shelter for local animals and insects. Sometimes, it's even used in ecological restoration projects to help bring natural areas back to health.