Jul 25, 8:30 PM

PlantFiles: California Penstemon
Penstemon californicus

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Family: Scrophulariaceae (skrof-yoo-larr-ee-AY-see) (Info)
Genus: Penstemon (PEN-stem-on) (Info)
Species: californicus (kal-ih-FOR-nik-us) (Info)

Category:
Alpines and Rock Gardens
Perennials

Height:
under 6 in. (15 cm)

Spacing:
9-12 in. (22-30 cm)

Hardiness:
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)

Sun Exposure:
Full Sun

Danger:
Unknown - Tell us

Bloom Color:
Violet/Lavender

Bloom Time:
Late Spring/Early Summer

Foliage:
Grown for foliage
Evergreen
Silver/Gray
Velvet/Fuzzy-Textured

Other details:
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping
Provides winter interest

Soil pH requirements:
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
7.9 to 8.5 (alkaline)

Propagation Methods:
From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall
From seed; winter sow in vented containers, coldframe or unheated greenhouse
From seed; stratify if sowing indoors
By simple layering

Seed Collecting:
Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds
Wear gloves to protect hands when handling seeds
Properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored

By Sally_Denver

Profile:

1 positive
No neutrals
No negatives

Gardeners' Notes:

Rating	Author	Comment
Positive	Sally_Denver	On Dec 12, 2005, Sally_Denver from Denver, CO (Zone 5b) wrote: This xeric plant has been very happy in this ridge location, surrounded by rock, for almost 3 years. It gets full sun in summer with weekly or as-needed water. It is supposed to be a "protect from winter wet" plant, but it has sat under snow for days at a time. I think this is because it is on a ridge with natural drainage and is mostly surrounded by rock. It may help that the ground here freezes, as it is in shade in winter. (I think the winter shade also helps prevent many plants from breaking dormancy too early and protects them from spring death.) I had another one that died elsewhere in the same rock garden. It was happy on a sunny, hot plateau in the summer, but rotted out in winter when that plateau accumulated ice. The flowers are just charming, but the foliage, especially in winter, is spectacular! Very nice with pink granite, too.

Regional...

This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:

Santaquin, Utah

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