Keckiella antirrhinoides

Yellow Bush Snapdragon is a three foot or so perennial shrub that will go deciduous under drought stress. In most California gardens in late fall and early winter this Penstemon will be tacky, BUT, you get flowers in late February or early March, a full month before most other plants. This bush Penstemon has red-yellow, 3" to 4" flowers. Native to the interior areas of southern California, west of the mountains. This species likes part shade, tolerates full shade inland, full sun along the coast, good drainage, and little summer water (summer wash offs). It's fairly deer proof if not overwatered. Keckiella antirrhinoides is cold tolerant to at least 0 degrees F. Hummingbirds visit it during flowering season. Although it's summer deciduous with no water, Yellow Bush Snapdragon looks great in even our 118 degree F weather when the foliage is washed off a few times during the dry season. For the month of June and into July this plant is beautiful. Customers that show up then rush over to it going ooh-ahh! In October it is invisible. The fragrance of the flowers is wonderful. We saw its lovely form in the Santa Ana Mountains growing in full sun and blending into the chaparral, even though covered with dust from the heavily traveled dirt road and the coastal side between Corona and Lake Elsinore.