Penstemon Species, Beard Tongue, Eaton's Penstemon, Firecracker Penstemon, Pride of the Mountain

This is such a staple for Southwestern gardens and is one of the most popular flowering perennials in all of Utah. This plant stays compl...Read Moreetely evergreen here in Salt Lake City(zone 7b), and the foliage is extremely attractive throughout the winter even without the flowers. It is also a Utah native and can be found within 10-15 minutes from my house in the wild. They bloom from April (or earlier) all the way into December most years.They can also take blistering hot full sun, with temps at 110 F with basically no water besides rain. Penstemon eatonii pairs BEAUTIFULLY with Agaves, Yuccas, Cactus, and Hesperaloe parviflora. They also thrive in rock gardens and stand out so much. I couldn’t say anything bad about these wonderful evergreen perennials, and I look forward to their flowers every single year. The bees and humming birds go absolutely BONKERS for the flowers every year too, which is a huge bonus.

Like most penstemons native to western North America, this species does not do well in humid climates where the annual precipitation is o...Read Morever 30".

Plant the crown high, preferably in soil that is lean and sharply drained. Tends to be short-lived, and persists through self-sowing. Overly rich soils and too much compost or fertilizer will shorten its brief lifespan. High-nitrogen water soluble fertilizers like the blue one are especially harmful. In arid climates, mulch with gravel or pine needles, but not bark, compost or grass clippings.

Grows well in the Las Vegas heat however it does prefer morning sun and afternoon shade or filtered light. Mine is planted in partly shad...Read Moree/filtered light (South West wall) and it thrives. There's a drip emitter about 2 feet away that's for one of my bottle brush trees and the only time I give it extra water is during the extreme hot summer but I'm sure it would survive without. I have hummingbirds galore that feed on my Penstemon, Fairy Duster, Coral Plant, Brakelights red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora), Bottle brush and tree. Many times when I'm in the yard they'll just come straight to me and stare me right in eyes from a foot away for what sometimes seem forever. They are the cutest.

I've got penstemon eatonii in the garden. It's a wonderful plant that doesn't mind a bit (I wouldn't say "thrives") neglect. I've had i...Read Moret rebloom consistently if you cut off the spent stalk. Leave some stalk and it will spread from seed. It is NOT evergreen here in zone 5'ish of western CO. Always dies back to ground (just like penstemon pinifolius). The hummingbirds adore this. I've got many other penstemon cultivars, but this one is THE favorite. Do not overwater or you will have root rot and possibly winter kill. It likes it high and dry.