Keckiella breviflora
A drought-tolerant, deer-resistant, gray-leaved, sprawling shrub with white flowers that thrives in high-elevation chaparral and pine-oak woodland habitats and is attractive for bird and butterfly gardens.
Common Names
Bush Beardtongue, Gaping Penstemon, Yawning Penstemon
Summary
This gaping penstemon is native to California and Nevada and grows as a subshrub or shrub reaching 2–7 ft in height, with slender branching and opposite leaves; its white, two-lipped tubular flowers form a gaping mouth marked with purple lines.
Prefers well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade, with drought-tolerant, low to very low water needs; hardy in USDA zones 6–10 and tolerates soils with pH 5.3–6.9; supports hummingbirds, bats, birds, bees, caterpillars, and butterflies, making it suitable for butterfly and bird gardens.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
3-6 feet
Spread
7 ft
Hardiness Zones
Zones 6-10
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun, tolerates partial shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained soil
Soil Drainage
Well-drained
Soil pH
5.3-6.9
Bloom Color
White
Bloom Time
Spring and Summer
Foliage Color
Green
Fall Foliage Color
Gray
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Not specified
Seasons of Interest
Spring and Summer
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Division, Cuttings, Layering
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, birds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (Lindl.) Straw
- Publication
- Brittonia 19: 203 (1967)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Lamiales
- Family
- Plantaginaceae
- Genus
- Keckiella
Inferior Taxa
Keckiella breviflora var. breviflora Keckiella breviflora var. glabrisepala
Synonyms
Keckia breviflora Penstemon breviflorus subsp. typicus Penstemon breviflorus