Carried by 34 nurseries
View Availability at NurseryData provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria
View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora
Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatonii) is a species in the Plantaginaceae (Plantain) family. It is native to the western United States from California to the Rocky Mountains, where it grows in many types of desert, woodland, forest, and open plateau habitat. In California, it is found primarily in high desert areas.
It is a perennial herb producing several sprawling-to-erect stems. The leaves, found mostly at the base, are up to 3.5 inches in length.
The flower cluster produces showy tubular flowers in shades of bright red, sometimes over one inch long. The flower is narrow and cylindrical, not spreading much at the mouth. This plant is excellent for rock gardens, desert gardens, and interior valleys.
Perennial herb
2 - 3 ft Tall
3 ft Wide
Upright
Moderate
Winter Deciduous
Yellow, Red
Spring, Summer
Containers, Deer resistant
Full Sun, Partial Shade
Very Low
Max 1x / month once established
Easy
Tolerates cold to 20° F
Fast
Sand or decomposed granite.
Soil PH: 6.0 - 8.0
For propagating by seed: 1 to 2 months stratification.
1, 2, 3, 7*, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
Higher-elevation deserts of southern and eastern California, below 8000 feet.
Creosote Bush Scrub, Pinyon-Juniper Woodland
Use with other high-desert plants such as Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), Brittlebush (Encelia spp.), Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa), Juniper (Juniperus spp.), Pinyon Pine (Pinus monophylla),
Desert Scrub Oak (Quercus cornelius-mulleri), Desert Sage (Salvia dorrii), and Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia).
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Likely
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Confirmed
Anna's Hummingbird
Calypte anna
Angelic Sweat Bee
Agapostemon angelicus
Wide-legged Sweat Bee
Agapostemon femoratus
Texas Striped Sweat Bee
Agapostemon texanus
Peppers
Capsicum annuum
Chicory
Cichorium intybus
Coffee
Coffea
Buckwheat
Fagopyrum esculentum