Penstemon, firecracker (Penstemon eatonii)

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Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatonii) | $14.99 | 4-inch pot🌿 Quick Facts: • Native Status: Native to North America — native to Colorado's Western Slope • USDA Growing Zones: 4- 8 • Height: 24-36 inches in flower (basal mound 8-12 inches) • Spread: 12-24 inches🌺 Bloom Details: • Season: Mid-spring to early summer, often reblooming • Colors: Bright scarlet to orange-red • Flower Type: Narrow tubular flowers packed along tall unbranched wands • Bloom Period: May-July☀️ Growing Requirements: • Sun: Full sun to part shade • Water: Very low to low — deep soak every 3-4 weeks; do not overwater • Soil: Dry, gravelly, low-fertility, sharply drained; alkaline is fine • Spacing: 18-24 inches apart🦋 Pollinator Benefits: • Birds: Premier hummingbird plant — broad-tailed & rufous; capsules feed finches • Native Bees: Special value to native bees; long-tongued bumble bees • Butterflies: Modest nectar (bird-adapted); foliage hosts checkerspot larvae • Beneficial Insects: Top-tier early nectar for spring hummingbird migration🌱 Plant Care: • Spring: Clean old stalks before growth starts; no fertilizer or compost • Summer: Deadhead spent stalks to trigger rebloom • Fall: Clip stalks to limit heavy self-sowing; stop irrigation • Winter: Keep the crown dry — no mulch over the crown🤝 Companion Planting: • Perfect paired with: Blue Grama Chocolate Flower Sulfur Flower Prairie Sagewort ✨ Unique Characteristics: • Earliest red penstemon — hits peak hummingbird migration • Brilliant scarlet wands visible across the yard • Extreme drought tolerance • Evergreen-ish basal rosette • Best on slopes, berms & gravel gardens Show more