Sharpleaf Penstemon
Penstemon acuminatus
- Native to:
- United States
Sheri Hagwood, Bureau of Land Management.
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Plantaginaceae
- Genus:
- Penstemon
- Species:
- Penstemon acuminatus
- USDA Symbol:
- PEAC
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- blue, lavender, purple
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, hummingbirds, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from crown after fire; commonly found in post-fire sagebrush steppe communities.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to arid regions, prefers open, rocky areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Cold stratification improves germination rates. Seeds may germinate erratically without pretreatment.
Pre-treatment: Seed soaked in 250 ppm giberellic acid for 24 hours, placed in germination boxes on moist blotter paper, prechilled at 4°C in the dark for 60 days. Mold prevention with Thiram after 30 days. After prechilling, seeds incubated with 12 hours of light/darkness alternation.
Establishment: A longer prechill may have increased germination. Fruit maturation is quite uniform. Capsules do not retain seed for more than a couple of weeks beyond maturation. Seeds are a dull brown color, 2 mm in size, and number 400,000-500,000 per pound. General distribution is on sandy soils of dunes and other dry places at low elevations; east of the Cascade Mountains in Washington, Oregon, northern Nevada and western Idaho.
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Most interbreed and seed may not be what is labelled; germinates best with stored seed, even as long as 10 years at 20°