Vivid, lipstick-bright, and impossible to ignore, Mimulus aurantiacus 'Mai Tai Red' brings tropical-toned color to the California-native palette. Part of the celebrated Mai Tai series, this cultivar blooms generously from spring through fall, its flared, trumpet-shaped flowers in a glowing, saturated red that absolutely sings against the plant's glossy, dark green foliage. Compact and well-behaved at about 18 to 24 inches, 'Mai Tai Red' is the kind of monkey flower that looks fabulous in containers, borders, and right up close where you can really appreciate the color.

A drought-tolerant evergreen perennial in mild-winter zones, this Mimulus hybrid thrives in full sun to part shade and adapts beautifully to dry summer conditions once established. Hummingbirds find it absolutely irresistible — those tubular flowers are perfectly engineered for them — and bees and butterflies stop in regularly too. It's a beginner-friendly California native cultivar with all the appeal of the wild parent, plus a much longer bloom season.

Pair 'Mai Tai Red' with silvery sages, golden buckwheats, and other California natives for a low-water planting that pollinators will love. Or grow it in a sunny patio pot where its color and hummingbird traffic can be enjoyed up close.