Palmer's Penstemon
Penstemon palmeri
- Native to:
- United States
Stan Shebs
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Plantaginaceae
- Genus:
- Penstemon
- Species:
- Penstemon palmeri
- USDA Symbol:
- PEPA8
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Subshrub
- Height:
- 180 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- white, pink, lavender
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, hummingbirds, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from rootstock after fire. Common in post-fire desert scrub recovery.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- Thrives in arid desert regions; avoid waterlogged conditions.
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–42 days
- Notes:
- Light aids germination. Surface sow or barely cover seeds.
Pre-treatment: Seeds are treated with a solution of 250 ppm Gibberellic Acid (GA3) for 24 hours prior to planting to break dormancy. Seeds are then placed in cold stratification at 2 C [36 F] for 10 to 12 weeks.
Establishment: Germination was found to be greater in light than dark. Transplanting uprooted seedlings to vacant plugs was unsuccessful. The establishment phase lasts approximately 2 weeks following placement in the greenhouse for plugs, and 1 year to establish, 2 years to begin producing seed for direct seeding. The seeds are collected from multiple individual sources from a single provisional seeds zone (psz).
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Sow @ 4C for 3 weeks, then place @ 20C. Requires light / surface sow (fine seed). | GA3 improves germination.