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Superb Penstemon

Penstemon superbus

Tall wands of coral-red tubes rise well above blue-grey clasping leaves, making it one of the most emphatic penstemons for a desert garden. Self-sows freely on open gravel, which is how it persists — individual plants are short-lived. Give it lean soil and full exposure.

Family

Plantaginaceae

Type

wildflower

Lifespan

perennial

Height

3–5 ft

Spacing

1.5–2.5 ft apart

Light

sun

Soil moisture

dry

Soil pH

neutral

Bloom

April, May

Bloom colors

red

Wildlife value

hummingbirds, pollinators

Caterpillar hosts

~8 butterfly & moth species

Landscape uses

border, naturalizing

Native states

AZ, NM