Penstemon thurberi
Desert Surprise.
A 2-3' perennial with small narrow leaves on slender stems with 1/2" blue flowers that are not showy but very interesting. The whole plant is a kind of invisible wild flower that is used by hummingbirds. That's usually how we notice it's flowering. It is native to the mountains of the desert from Ca. to New Mexico. It froze Dec. 1990 frost in the ground at 0 F. It looked better than ever afterwards. We didn't have it in containers at the time so I'm not sure how much more hardy it is. It has been stable here for years. This plant does not look like a penstemon.
Penstemon thurberi is great for a bird garden.
Foliage of Penstemon thurberi is deciduous.
Flower of Penstemon thurberi has color blue.
Communities for Penstemon thurberi:Creosote Bush Scrub, Joshua Tree Woodland and Pinyon-Juniper Woodland.
| ph: | 6.00 to 8.00 |
|---|---|
| usda: | 6 to 10 |
| height[m]: | 1.00 to 1.30 |
| width[m]: | 0.50 to 1.00 |
| rainfall[cm]: | 24.00 to 37.00 |
