Penstemon palmeri
$5.00 – $7.30
We do not take online orders for plants. Please come in to the nursery, call or email: (510) 234-2222 or sales@thewatershednursery.com
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Balloon flower
An herbaceous perennial with erect growth to 4-6 ft. high when in bloom. Showy cream to pale pink flowers on tall spikes are intensely fragrant with a sweet scent. Great for birds, butterflies, and especially bumblebees, which are excellent pollinators who love to crawl into the flowers that are large and round, hence the common name, Balloon flower.
Many people who see this plant in bloom think it is a foxglove–very showy! Broad, toothed leaves up to 3″ long are covered with a grayish, bluish, or whitish waxy coating or bloom that is easily rubbed off.
Very drought tolerant (this species is native to hot, dry desert mountains), it will thrive where many other plants in need of more moisture cannot.
Lifeform: Perennial
Sun: Full Sun
Other: Attracts Bees, Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Drought Tolerant
| Container | 1-Gal-O, 1-Gal, 1-GalS, D-16, D-16S |
|---|---|
| Ecological Value | Penstemons are considered desirable forages for deer, antelope, and birds either as herbage or seed. They may also provide some cover for selected small bird species. |
| Historical Uses | Native Americans long used penstemon roots to relieve toothache. |
| Distribution | native to California and is also found outside of California, but is confined to western North America. |
| Elevation | Between 3608 and 7545 feet |
| Communities | |
| Habitat | Found in desert mountains growing in washes and canyon floors |
