Penstemon speciosus

Common Names

Royal Penstemon, Showy Penstemon, Sagebrush Penstemon, Royal Beardtongue, Sagebrush Beardtongue

Summary

Royal penstemon is a clump-forming perennial with ascending to erect stems from a branched caudex, typically 2–3 ft tall. Leaves are narrow, spoon-shaped and gray-green. Flowers are sky blue, tubular, about 4 cm long, borne in dense racemes; bloom May–July. Native to the western United States, from dry flats and sagebrush–grass slopes at elevations up to 10,000 ft, it thrives in full sun with very low water needs and sandy or rocky, well-drained soils.

In cultivation, it prefers full sun on loam to fine sandy loam, well-drained soils, and is drought-tolerant once established. Propagation is by seed or half-woody cuttings. Hardiness is generally Zone 3–7. It is used in xeriscaping, low-water landscaping, beds and borders, rock gardens, roadsides, and wildlife habitat restoration; it attracts pollinators, including native bees.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

3 inches to 4 feet

Spread

2-3 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-7

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun, tolerates partial sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained loamy to fine sandy loam soils, pH 6.0–8.0.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

6.0-8.0, Near neutral to slightly alkaline

Bloom Color

Blue to purple

Bloom Time

Spring and Summer

Foliage Color

Gray-Green, Purplish-tinted

Fall Foliage Color

Gray-Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Fast

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds and cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, other pollinators, and birds