Showy Penstemon
Penstemon spectabilis
Care
full sun
very low
Fast; Performs best and lives longest in well-drained soil.
2–4ft tall , 3–4ft wide
Jan-Dec
Evergreen
Resistant
Friendly
Prized
Southern California chaparral and scrub from Santa Barbara to San Diego Counties, 500-4000 ft elevation, on dry rocky slopes and canyon sides.
Care Guide
Planting
Plant your Showy Penstemon in full sun with well-drained soil - this is key to getting the longest life out of it. It tolerates clay and a variety of soil types, so don't stress about amending heavily, but avoid spots where water pools. Space it 3 to 4 feet wide once mature. Plant in fall or early spring to establish before summer heat.
After Planting
Water weekly during your first summer to help it establish, then back off to once monthly (or less) once it's settled in - this plant is very drought tolerant and actually lives longer with minimal summer water. Expect flowers from year one, and know that even though Showy Penstemon only lives 5 to 10 years, it self-seeds readily, so you'll often get volunteer seedlings. The #1 mistake: overwatering. Too much water, especially in summer, cuts its lifespan short.
Endangered & Threatened Species Supported
Listed under California ESA; range has contracted significantly
Sonoran bumblebee, California candidate
Wildlife Supported
Birds
Critical spring migration fuel and early breeding season nectar source
Primary nectar source during winter and early spring breeding season in California deserts
Spring passage and early breeding season nectar source
Spring breeding season nectar resource in desert regions
Insects
Spring and early summer colony provisioning
Spring nesting and pollen provisioning for larvae
Spring and early summer foraging, California native pollinator
Spring and summer foraging for pollen and nectar
Spring pollen collection and nectar foraging
Spring foraging for pollen during bloom period
Spring colony establishment and worker foraging
Spring foraging for pollen resources
+4 more species