Mimulus or, as it is also called, gubastik is a very beautiful ornamental annual plant of the nornichnikov family. It is unlikely that anyone will remain indifferent, having seen at least once motley leopard thickets of mimulyus. Homeland of this flower is North America. It inhabits sponge in places with high humidity and temperate climate. Also found in New Zealand, Australia, Asia. But in the wild nature of Europe you will not find it - here the mimulus grows only in flowerbeds, garden plots and at home.
Did you know? There are several versions of the origin of the name of the plant. The adherents of the first of them believe that at the heart of the name Mimulus is the word Mime - a magician, actor, a jester. The second option says that the word source is Mimo - monkey. Confirmation of the latest version can serve as the fact that in America the plant is called "monkey flower". Since the nature of the arrangement of the petals of a flower resembles a monkey's muzzle.It is known about the existence of 150 species of gubastik. Among them are both annuals and perennial plants; ground cover, grassy and dwarf shrubs. Each species is different in shape and length of the stem, sizes and colors of flowers. The height of the stem varies from 10 to 70 cm, in several species it reaches 150 cm. There are plants with erect and creeping, bare and pubescent shoots.
The main advantage of the mimulus is, of course, its flowers. They are medium in size (5 cm), have five petals: the top two are bent back, the bottom three are pushed forward. The flowers are monotonous (white, yellow, pink, red, maroon) and interspersed with other shades. The flower forms a fruit in the form of a box, divided into two halves.Mimulus has two flowering periods - in spring and autumn. The earliest varieties bloom in April. Some species are able to bloom before the first frost.
A mimulus is an unpretentious and easy-to-care flower, but its growing conditions will depend on the selected species. In general, gubastik are characterized by endurance - can grow on poor soils. There are several species that can grow in water. Basically, these plants are thermophilic, but two frost-resistant varieties have already been developed. They prefer to grow in sunny areas, although some feel well in partial shade. Propagated by seed and vegetative ways.
Below we give you a description of the species, hybrids and varieties of mimulyus, the most interesting for growing in gardens.
Pomegranate mimulus (Mimulus puniceus)
Pomegranate mimulus - a native of Southern California. At home, growing on the slopes of the hills. It has a red, dark red color with an orange inner part of the corolla. It blooms from late spring to early autumn. The plant is quite high - it grows up to 1 m. It loves heat very much - it does not tolerate even a slight frost up to -5 ° ะก. It can grow both in the sun and in light shade. Drought resistant. In addition to planting in open ground, used in pot culture.
Important! All gubastik love to grow in well-lit areas. Species such as pomegranate mimulus, varieties of the Sun in the shade, Winter sunset, a hybrid of Brass Monkeys, etc., can be planted in partial shade.
Mimulus yellow (Mimulus luteus)
Yellow sponge is common in Chile. This plant has an erect, branched stem, often bare, but it is also found with slightly pubescent. The stems of this mimulyus reach a height of 60 cm. Solid bright yellow flowers form racemes at the ends of the shoots or in the leaf axils. 
Did you know? It was the yellow mimulus that was first described in the 18th century by the French clergyman, Father Fayet. He saw him during his trip to South America. Then, in 1763, this plant was recorded by the Swedish naturalist Karl Linnei in his classification system of the plant world, attributing it to the genus Mimulus. Cultivated mimulyus yellow since 1812. In gardening is rarely used.
Mimulyus speckled (Mimulus guttatus)
Mimuly speckled known since 1808. The territories on which it grows extensively are North America and New Zealand. Loves to live near water, in wet areas. Prefers well lit areas. 
This is a fairly tall plant - up to 80 cm, with an upright branched stem. The flowers are colored yellow with dark red patches located in the rim of the corolla.
Did you know? The mottled speckled mimulus was named by the botanist Fyodor Fisher, the scientist who introduced it to culture.Thanks to its beautiful ornamental leaves - gray-green with white trim - the cultivator Richard Bish (Mimulus guttatus Richard Bish) is of interest to gardeners. It blooms in June-July with yellow flowers, in the throat of which there are red dots. The plant belongs to the ground cover - reaches a height of 15-25 cm. Able to tolerate low temperatures.
Important! Mimulyusy - plants thermophilic. Only two of their types belong to the winter-hardy - it is speckled and opened gubastik. All other varieties for the winter must be removed.
Mimulyus red, or purple (Mimulus cardinalis)
Red gubastik spread from North America. In nature is a perennial. Cultivated since 1835 as an annual. The shoots of this mimulus branchy, hairy, reach a height of 40-60 cm. Leaves with cloves at the ends, pubescent. It blooms in solid red flowers. Blooming period lasts from June to September. 
Breeders willingly used purple mimulus for crossing with other species and as a result received a number of varieties that are also of interest to growers. Among them are the following types of sponge: Cardinal (red flowers with yellow speckles), Red dragon (red flowers), Pink Queen (pink flowers with dark patches), Aurantikus (orange-red flowers).
Copper Red Mimulus (Mimulus cupreus)
Copper-red lipastik is undersized (12-15 cm in height) and belongs to ground cover plants. Came to culture from Chile. The stems of this mimulyus are recumbent, slightly raised, bare. The nature of the color of flowers - from copper-red to copper-orange. They have a small size - up to 3 cm. The flowering period is July-September.
It also has a number of beautiful varieties: the Red Emperor, the Indian nymph (the flower is red with a cream halo and purple specks), etc.
Primula mimulus (Mimulus primuloides)
Mimulus primiforma native to the west of North America, at home, it grows in wet areas, in the mountains and plateaus. The plant is undersized - no more than 12 cm in height, with a creeping stem. The leaves have a color from green to purple-green, can be pubescent and bare. It blooms with bright yellow flowers on long peduncles. Flowering period - from June to August. 
Mimulus orange (Mimulus aurantiacus)
Growing in the south-west of the United States, orange mimulus is used to heat and sun, so it will not withstand low temperatures and shade. This is a tall plant - up to 1 m. With such a height, the shoots are very difficult to grow upwards, therefore without supports they begin to grow in different directions and walk along the ground. It blooms with bright orange, salmon-pink flowers (there may also be petals with red hues). The flowering period is May-September. 
Mimulyus tiger, or hybrid (Mimulus x hybridus)
Hybrid, or brindle sponge - the group name of numerous varieties obtained from crossing mottled mimulyus and Mimulus lutem. This species is one of the most common in decorative culture. The plants included in it have strongly branched stems with a maximum height of 25 cm. Their leaves are toothed. Flowers variegated colors with a variety of spots, specks, stripes. The flowers form inflorescences that grow on long peduncles. The blooming period of the tiger mimulus is June-July. At this time, in addition to flowering, you can also enjoy the aroma emanating from the flowers. It is like the smell of musk.
From this species, a large number of varieties and hybrids are derived, which are mainly used for planting in containers. We present only the most popular ones. 
For example, mimulyus variety Voerkenig may be interested in an unusual bloom of red flowers with dark brown dots and a throat of yellow color. An interesting variety with a beautiful name and with motley flowers The sun in the shade. He is also shade tolerant.
Noteworthy and varieties of F1 hybrid series Queen's Prize (Queen's Prize), Royal Velvet (Royal Velvet). Its pink flowers with strokes is able to surprise and mimulus varieties of gayti.
Among hybrid forms, F1 Viva, Calypso, Magic are most common. Viva stands out among other gubastik very large flowers (6-8 cm in diameter) of various colors. Universal flowers that are suitable for growing in a variety of conditions, whether it be a pot, an alpine slide or the shore of a decorative reservoir, are bred in a variety line Mimulus Magic.
Unusual beauty is pleasing to the eye; the flowers that are part of a heterogeneous group of hybrid forms of practically unlike each other are called Highland Hybrids.
And a few words about the use of gubastik. In landscape design mimulyus often planted in flower beds, rabatkah, to decorate borders. In the open ground, its planting is connected with the bushes of the hosts, astilbe, saxiframe, buttercups, and periwinkle. Red, primrose mimulyusy and other ground cover species are used for stony hills.
It looks beautiful and grows well around water bodies. The opened mimulus can grow in containers in water. Copper-red and red mimulyusa possible to plant in the swamp.
Kubastik was used in pot culture - it is actively planted in tubs, balcony and outside windows. In this embodiment, it is well adjacent to verbena, lobelia. For hanging pots, mimus orange is perfect, or one of the hybrid forms of mimulus - Brass Mankis (Brass Monkeys).
