Little Flowered Penstemon

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Little Flowered Penstemon Penstemon procerus Plantaginaceae Eastern Washington native Full sun to part shade 6"-24" tall x 10"-15" wide Drought Tolerant: Moderate to high - very we ll-adapted to dry, rocky, and gravelly soils once established Evergreen: Semi-evergreen Flower Color: blue-violet with white throat (June-August) Wildlife Benefits: attracts mason bees and bumblebees, hummingbirds, and Checkerspot butterfly; deer and rabbit resistant Penstemon procerus is one of the most widespread and ecologically versatile penstemons, documented from Alaska to California and east to the Rocky Mountains. In eastern Washington, it is found in moist forest openings at moderate elevations, gravelly ridges, dry rocky slopes, and subalpine and alpine meadows -- habitats with sharp drainage, high light, thin soils, and periodic summer drought. In the garden, littleflower penstemon is reliably perennial, undemanding, and long-lived when given the one condition it insists upon: excellent drainage. It is intolerant of wet, waterlogged, or heavy clay soils, which cause crown rot and death. Once sited correctly, the plant is self-sufficient, drought-tolerant, and requires no fertilization -- lean soils actually encourage the compact, floriferous habit characteristic of this species in the wild. Littleflower penstemon is a beautiful native perennial whose garden impact is best appreciated in mass plantings where its abundant, densely-whorled flower spikes create a unified sweep of color. The plant forms a low, spreading mat of lance-shaped to oval, fresh green basal leaves from which erect flower stems rise in early summer. Each stem terminates in one to several dense, ring-like whorls of small tubular flowers, each less than three-quarters of an inch long, in blue-violet with a contrasting white-hairy throat. Though individually diminutive (true to its common name), the flowers are produced in abundance and are so tightly whorled that the inflorescence reads as a solid column of color against the foliage below. The overall effect on a well-established patch is a haze of lavender-purple that floats above the groundcover mat from June through August. The semi-evergreen basal foliage remains presentable through winter in zone 5-6, providing year-round texture as a low groundcover layer. Despite its small flower size, Penstemon procerus is an ecologically important pollinator plant with several specialized wildlife relationships. It is a preferred forage plant for Osmia brevis, a specialist North American mason bee. Bumblebees are also primary pollinators, capable of accessing the nectar in the narrow tubular flowers. The Variable Checkerspot butterfly forages on and has been documented breeding on or near Penstemon procerus populations. Hummingbirds visit the flowers, particularly in subalpine settings where alternative floral resources are limited. The plant is reliably deer and rabbit resistant. Penstemon procerus looks best as a mass-planted groundcover or meadow matrix plant in full-sun, dry-to-moderate rock gardens, gravel gardens, and native wildflower plantings. Its low stature and spreading mat habit suit it to the front of borders, slope stabilization on dry banks, hell-strip plantings, crevice gardens between stepping stones, and the foreground of taller native wildflower communities. It is especially effective planted in drifts of ten or more plants, into a landscape-scale display. It pairs naturally with other species that share its dry, rocky mountain meadow habitat: Geum triflorum (prairie smoke) offers early-season contrast and similar low stature; Penstemon speciosus (royal penstemon) and Penstemon richardsonii (Richardson's penstemon) provide taller vertical accent in complementary bloom seasons and flower tones; Linum lewisii (wild blue flax) echoes its blue-violet color while adding delicate vertical texture; Achillea millefolium (yarrow) provides contrasting white flowers and feathery silver-green foliage; and Festuca idahoensis (Idaho fescue) contributes fine-textured, blue-gray grass structure that bridges the gap between penstemons and the surrounding planting. For customers building SpokaneScape-compatible xeric gardens, littleflower penstemon is a dependable, low-water, high-pollinator-value native that fills the groundcover and edging role with season-long floral interest. Show more