Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Plantaginaceae

Genus:

Penstemon

Species:

Penstemon haydenii

USDA Symbol:

PEHA12

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:

lavender, blue, pink

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, hummingbirds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Adapted to blowout sand dune disturbance regimes; tolerates and may benefit from periodic fire in sand prairie ecosystems.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, nutrient-poor, well-drained soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to sand dunes, requires open, sunny conditions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Requires cold stratification. Seeds need light for germination; do not cover deeply.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI