Firecracker penstemon

Penstemon eatonii

Description

Firecracker penstemon has the perfect name. As can be seen by the images of plants in full bloom, this high desert California native produces a dramatic display of bright red flowers during the spring. It is a robust species, 2-3 ft. tall with lush green foliage.

Firecracker penstemon is naturally suited to southwestern style landscape plantings in the Inland Empire. It grow best on well drained soils, in full sun and with low amounts of supplemental water during summer. It combines well with other desert perennials and around boulders, on banks and for seasonal accent value.

Plant Type: Perennial
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Spreading, Robust, Clumping
Growth Rate: Fast
Foliage Color: Medium green
Flower Color: Red
Flower Season: Spring
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil
Exposure Adaptations: Heat, Frost, Drought, Aridity, All day sun
Function: Wildlife value, Rock gardens, Hummingbird plant, Flowering accent plant, Container plant, California native, Borders, Attracts butterflies, Small spaces
Height: 2 ft. – 3 ft.
Width: 12 in. – 24 in.

Watering Schedule: Low 1

For most situations, we recommend watering deeply every 3-4 weeks after establishment.

Learn how to apply this watering schedule to your landscape on our How to water waterwise and California native plants page.

Important Notes

These are general guidelines. Always observe and adjust as necessary for your landscape.
If it rains over 1” you will likely not need to water for at least another 3-4 weeks. Before watering again, check the soil. It should be significantly dry at least 4” below the soil surface before watering.
If you have a “smart timer” or weather sensitive irrigation controller, it is best not to use the automatic weather adjusting features for plants in this category. While very useful for watering higher water demanding plants, those in this category have natural drought adaptations which mean they do not need to be watered more in warm weather. Using the weather adjusting features will result in either overwatering in summer or underwatering in fall and spring.
It is important to group plants with the same water needs together in the landscape to avoid needing to over or under water plants when running your irrigation system.