Kingdom Plantae Family Plantaginaceae Scientific name Penstemon palmeri Rank Species | Order Lamiales Genus Penstemon Higher classification Beardtongue | |
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Similar Beardtongue, Penstemon eatonii, Penstemon strictus, Penstemon pseudospectabilis, Penstemon parryi | ||
Penstemon palmeri, the Palmer's penstemon, is a perennial penstemon notable for its showy, rounded flowers, and for being one of the few scented penstemons. The plant, in the Plantaginaceae family, is named after the botanist Edward Palmer.
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Distribution
It is found native to desert mountains from the eastern Mojave Desert in California, to eastern Nevada, northeastern Arizona, and New Mexico, and north through areas in Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and eastern Washington.
Penstemon palmeri is a drought-tolerant perennial plant, preferring well draining drier soils. The plant grows in washes and bajadas, roadsides, canyon floors, creosote bush scrub, and juniper woodlands, from 1,100–2,300 metres (3,600–7,500 ft).
Description
Penstemon palmeri, Palmer's penstemon, grows erect and may reach 2 metres (6.6 ft) in maximum height. The leaves are generally oppositely arranged and have toothed margins. The inflorescence is a panicle or raceme with small bracts.
The flower has a five-lobed calyx of sepals and a cylindrical corolla with may have an expanded throat. The staminode is partially hairy. The showy, rounded flower has large pink to violet to blue-purple petals. Occasional specimens are red, yellow, or white flowered.
Varieties
There are three Penstemon palmeri varieties:
