Erythranthe lewisii
Great purple monkeyflower, lewis's monkeyflower
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Family: Phrymaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Erythranthe lewisii (Great purple monkeyflower) is a native California herb in the Phrymaceae family, recognized by large purple flowers and robust habit diagnostic.
Great purple monkeyflower is a California native perennial found in streamside and seep habitats throughout the Sierra Nevada, northern Coast Ranges, and Cascade Range at elevations of 650 to 3,100 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces magenta to purple flowers with spreading lips, creating dramatic blooms approximately 25 to 30 millimeters long. Growing with hairy stems 25 to 75 centimeters tall and spreading from underground rhizomes, it forms robust clumps in moist mountain environments. Its leaves are oblong to elliptic, 25 to 75 millimeters long, palmately veined, and typically clasping the stem with a soft, slightly hairy texture. The fruit is a small capsule 6 to 11 millimeters in length, developing after the showy summer flowering period.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; large purple flowers and robust habit diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Streambanks, seeps
Elevation: 650-3100 m
Outside California: to Montana, Wyoming, Utah, western Canada
Bloom period
Erythranthe lewisii blooms Jun-Aug.
Frequently asked questions
Is Erythranthe lewisii native to California?
Yes. Erythranthe lewisii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Erythranthe lewisii bloom?
Erythranthe lewisii blooms Jun-Aug.
What plant family does Erythranthe lewisii belong to?
Erythranthe lewisii is in the Phrymaceae family, genus Erythranthe.
What habitat does Erythranthe lewisii grow in?
Erythranthe lewisii grows in Streambanks, seeps.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.