Scientists haven't seen this Michigan plant in years. What to know about monkeyflower
This spring, keep an eye out for endangered Michigan monkeyflowers — rare, aquatic wildflowers — if you're heading to northern Michigan.
Michigan's only fully endemic, or native, plant, the Michigan monkeyflower is a federally recognized endangered species, according to Michigan State University Extension. Limited numbers of the plant, a member of the figwort family, have been reported in Michigan's northern Lower Peninsula and southern Upper Peninsula in recent years.
Here's what to know.
What is the Michigan monkeyflower?
The Michigan monkeyflower is an aquatic to semi-aquatic wildflower, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
When does the Michigan monkeyflower bloom?
The perennial typically flowers between mid-June and August and sometimes lasts until October, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service says.
A monkeyflower plant in bloom.
Where has monkeyflower been found in Michigan?
The Michigan monkeyflower is only found in northern Michigan, around the Straits of Mackinac and Grand Traverse areas along the Great Lakes shorelines, said the Michigan Natural Features Inventory of Michigan State University Extension.
In the Lower Peninsula, Leelanau County along Lake Michigan in the northwest, there were three reported occurrences of plants, with the plant last observed in 2022. Nearby Benzie County has one reported occurrence, last observed in 2018.
Farther north, Charlevoix County reported five occurrences, last observed in 2023. The nearby Emmet County saw four occurrences, with the plant last observed in 2022. Adjacent to the east, Cheboygan County had five occurrences, last observed in 2022.
In the Upper Peninsula, Mackinac County reported four occurrences, with the plant last observed in 2023.
Data may not reflect true distribution since much of the state has not been thoroughly surveyed, the MSU Extension said.
A 2012 report from the USFWS found the plant growing in 23 sites.
What does the Michigan monkeyflower look like?
The Michigan monkeyflower has rounded, opposite leaves with course and toothed edges, and tubular flowers with yellow petals and a red-spotted lower lip, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service said.
Dark green shaded areas show where Michigan monkeyflower has been located.
In what habitat does the Michigan monkeyflower grow?
The aquatic to semi-aquatic plant lives in cold, calcareous (containing calcium carbonate or chalky) springs, seeps and streams water among northern white-cedar trees and at the base of bluffs near the Great Lakes shorelines, MSU Extension said. The Michigan monkeyflower grows in sand and mucky soil amid cold, flowing spring water, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service website says.
More: It's tulip time in Holland. What to know before you visit
How did the Michigan monkeyflower become endangered?
The Michigan monkeyflower is a federally recognized endangered plant species in the U.S., according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
The plant joined the federal list of endangered species in 1990, the University of Michigan Herbarium said. Threats to the Michigan monkeyflower include road construction and development that could disrupt the plant's habitat, the Michigan Nature Association said. Other threats include groundwater pumping, diversion, storms and high lake levels, iNaturalist noted.
The Michigan monkeyflower's small population and many of the plants being on private property can complicate conservation efforts, the Michigan Nature Association said.
In addition to Michigan and U.S. designations, the plant's global rank is critically imperiled.
Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Monkeyflower is endangered. Where it might be found in 2025
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