Rocky Mountain Penstemon
Penstemon strictus
Spires of glossy blue tubes built for bumblebees, and one of the easiest western penstemons to grow.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
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- Plant guide
- Firecracker Penstemon
Scarlet tubes
Perennial wildflower
Firecracker Penstemon
Penstemon eatonii
Scarlet tubular flowers timed to the spring hummingbird migration through the desert Southwest.
the desert Southwestthe Great Basinthe Mountain West
Growing Firecracker Penstemon
Wants full sun and gritty, fast-draining soil — never wet feet. Pure hummingbird fuel when little else is open. It’s deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, and showy.
Where it grows
Firecracker Penstemon is native to the desert Southwest. In the wild you’ll find it across Arizona · California · Colorado · Idaho · Montana · Nevada · New Mexico · Oregon · Texas · Utah and 2 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.
Regional Garden shows Firecracker Penstemon on 12 state pages.
Good for
Sourcing
Where to buy Firecracker Penstemon
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.
Plant it with
Companions & kin.
Natives that share Firecracker Penstemon’s range and conditions.
Western Columbine
Aquilegia formosa
The West's nodding red-and-gold columbine, the first big hummingbird draw of the mountain spring.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jul
Prairie Smoke
Geum triflorum
Nodding pink spring bells that turn into smoky, feathered seed plumes — the show after the flower.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 6–16 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Apache Plume
Fallugia paradoxa
White rose-like flowers and feathery pink seed plumes together on one airy desert shrub.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 3–6 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep