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Information by: The Plant Nerd Inc.        Photographer: Janet Rademacher MSN

Description

This perennial grows at a moderate rate reaching 1'-3' tall and wide. Bright green leaves form a rosette at the base of the plant. Scarlet spikes of flowers appear late winter to spring. Reseeds easily. Plant in fall for spring flowers. Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Accepts full sun to partial shade. Native to the southwest U.S. and Mexico. Similar to Penstemon barbatus but eatonii is earlier and more compact.

Maintenance Tips

Penstemon eatonii is a California native perennial that grows 1-3' tall and wide. It has vibrant red, tubular flowers that are attractive to pollinators, such as bees and hummingbirds. This plant is very drought tolerant and prefers full sun and soil that has good drainage. It is an excellent choice for rock gardens and requires very little water once established and almost no supplemental nutrients. Flowers will appear on tall stalks for most of the year but will show up in high numbers in the spring and until summer. Throughout the flowering season just remove flower stalks from the base as needed when each stalk has appeared to stop sending out new flowers. In the late summer, you can cut back the foliage by one-third of the current size and remove any additional branches that have died back.