Monnina spp.

Americas (southern USA to the Andes)

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

Overview

Monnina spp. is a genus of roughly 150 species of annual and perennial herbs, shrubs, and small trees in the milkwort family, Polygalaceae, native to the warmer regions of the Americas. The genus reaches its greatest diversity in the Andes of South America, with further species in Central America, Mexico, and the southern United States. Plants range from low herbs of 8-24 inches (20-60 cm) to shrubs and small trees of 6-20 feet (1.8-6 m), depending on species. Leaves are simple, alternate, untoothed, and 0.4-4 inches (1-10 cm) long, with shapes from narrow to broadly elliptic. Flowers are small and bilaterally symmetric, carried in slender terminal or axillary racemes, and built from five sepals, two of them enlarged and petal-like, with a keel of fused lower petals shared across the milkwort family. Flower color runs from deep blue and violet to white and yellow across the genus. The fruit is a small drupe, frequently blue to blue-black at maturity, and in some species fleshy and bird-dispersed. Several Andean species hold traditional uses as soap substitutes and dye sources. Most species occupy montane forest edges, scrub, and grassland, and frost tolerance is limited across much of the genus. Cultivation outside native ranges is uncommon, and detailed horticultural data are sparse for most species.

Native Range

Monnina spp. is native to the Americas, from the southern United States through Mexico and Central America into the Andes of South America. The genus is most diverse in montane regions of Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador. It does not occur naturally outside the New World.

Suggested Uses

Monnina spp. species are grown occasionally in botanical collections and native plantings within their home ranges. Shrubby species are used in montane gardens for their blue-flowered racemes and blue fruit. Some Andean species have traditional uses as soap substitutes and natural dyes.

How to Identify

Look for slender racemes of small, bilaterally symmetric flowers with two enlarged petal-like sepals and a keel, in shades of blue, violet, white, or yellow. Leaves are simple, alternate, and untoothed. The fruit is a small drupe, frequently blue to blue-black, which separates Monnina spp. from related milkworts that bear dry capsules.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height8" - 20'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Flowering varies by species and elevation, with many species blooming in spring and summer and tropical montane species flowering across a longer season. Racemes open progressively from the base upward. Blue to blue-black drupes follow within several weeks of flowering.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

blue, violet, white, or yellow

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 5-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

tender

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Cultivation requirements vary across Monnina spp. because the genus spans herbs to small trees and lowland to high-Andean climates. Most species grow in full sun to light shade on well-drained soil of moderate fertility. Montane species tolerate cool nights but little hard frost, while a few high-elevation species withstand light freezing. Even surface moisture suits most species, though plants of drier habitats accept short dry spells once established. The genus is little grown in general horticulture, and species-specific guidance is limited.

Pruning

Pruning needs depend on growth form. Shrubby species can be shaped after flowering by trimming spent flowering stems. Herbaceous species are cut back to the crown once growth dies down for the season.