Sticky Monkey-Flower

My name is Manuel and I am a first-year at Mt.Sac. Making my zine, I learned about the lifecycle of the Sticky Monkeyflower (Diplacus aurantiacus). It starts off its lifecycle in the winter. The seeds sprout in winter rains. They eventually grow into shrubs. In the spring, the shrub will bloom flowers that are coated in a sticky resin. This attracts pollinators such as hummingbirds or bees. When summer comes around, the shrub can drop some leaves. This is to preserve water and not a sign that the plant is dying, it is very much still alive! After being pollinated, the flowers will drop their seeds, continuing the lifecycle.