Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Penstemon davidsonii is a species of penstemon known by the common name Davidson's penstemon, honoring Dr. George Davidson. It is native to North America from the Sierra Nevada Range in California and Nevada through the Coast and Cascade ranges of Oregon and Washington into British Columbia. Penstemon davidsonii is a low, mat-forming perennial up to 10 centimetres (3. 9 in) tall. The leaves are up to 1. 5 centimetres (0. 59 in) long, thick and firm, with entire to serrulate margins. The flowers are tubular, blue-lavender to purple, and large relative to the short stature of the plant. Penstemon davidsonii is included in Penstemon subgenus Dasanthera, along with P. barrettiae, P. cardwellii, P. ellipticus, P. fruticosus, P. lyallii, P. montanus, P. newberryi, and P. rupicola. Varieties: P. davidsonii var. davidsonii - Davidson's penstemonP. davidsonii var. menziesii (D. D. Keck) Cronquist - Menzies' penstemonP. davidsonii var. praeteritus Cronquist - timberline beardtongue

Plant type

Perennial herb

Size

4 in Tall

Calscape icon
Color

Purple, Lavender, Blue

Special uses

Containers

Sun

Deep Shade, Partial Shade

Propagation

For propagating by seed: 1-2 mos. stratification (Everett 1950).

Site type

Talus outcrops

Plant communities

Alpine Fell-Fields, Subalpine Forest

Hummingbirds
Bees
Butterflies

Pollinators supported

1 confirmed and 124 likely

  • Likely

  • Confirmed

Yellow-faced Bumble Bee

Bombus vosnesenskii

Angelic Sweat Bee

Agapostemon angelicus

Wide-legged Sweat Bee

Agapostemon femoratus

Texas Striped Sweat Bee

Agapostemon texanus