Alphabetical Plant Listing

Penstemon eatonii (Firecracker Penstemon)

Firecracker Penstemon, Firecracker Beardtongue, Eaton's Penstemon, Eaton's Beardtongue


Penstemon eatonii (Firecracker Penstemon) is a showy perennial with several sprawling to erect stems boasting 5 to 10 brilliant red tubular flowers in late spring through late summer. The flowers attract bees, wasps, hummingbirds and other pollinating insects. They rise above a basal foliage of lance-shaped, leathery green leaves. The fibrous root system and wide canopy cover make it a good plant for water-wise landscaping, rock gardens, desert gardens, and other ornamental plantings. Adding lovely vertical lines in the landscape, Firecracker Penstemon is also used in restoration and wildlife enhancement projects. Firecracker Penstemon was used by Native Americans for the treatment of spider bites, stomach troubles, to reduce bleeding, backache, snakebite, as a veterinary aid, and for healing of burns.

  • Grows up to 1-3 ft. tall and wide (30-90 cm).
  • Performs best in full sun to part shade in rocky, loams, sandy loams, gravelly loams, well-drained to moderately well-drained soils. It does not grow well in areas with poor drainage. Drought tolerant once established. Penstemons need very little water and barely any fertilizer.
  • Provides a bold impact in beds and borders, cottage gardens, rock gardens or in prairie plantings. Great for naturalistic planting schemes.
  • No serious pest or disease issues. Deer resistant.
  • Propagate by stratified seed or root division.
  • Native to the western United States from California to the Rocky Mountains.

Not sure which Penstemon - Beardtongues to pick?
Compare All Penstemon - Beardtongues

Buy Penstemon eatonii (Firecracker Penstemon)

Requirements

Hardiness 4 – 8
Climate Zones 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Penstemon - Beardtongues
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Height 1' – 3' (30cm – 90cm)
Spread 1' – 3' (30cm – 90cm)
Spacing 24" – 36" (60cm – 90cm)
Water Needs Low
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Showy
Native Plants United States, California, Rocky Mountains, Colorado, Utah, Southwest, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico
Tolerance Deer, Drought
Attracts Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Garden Uses Beds and Borders
Garden Styles Gravel and Rock Garden, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow

Buy Plants

Great Plant Combination Ideas with Penstemon - Beardtongues


Brewbooks, Matt Lavin, Larry Lamsa, Flickr

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.


Requirements

Hardiness 4 – 8
Climate Zones 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Penstemon - Beardtongues
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Height 1' – 3' (30cm – 90cm)
Spread 1' – 3' (30cm – 90cm)
Spacing 24" – 36" (60cm – 90cm)
Water Needs Low
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Showy
Native Plants United States, California, Rocky Mountains, Colorado, Utah, Southwest, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico
Tolerance Deer, Drought
Attracts Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Garden Uses Beds and Borders
Garden Styles Gravel and Rock Garden, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow

Great Plant Combination Ideas with Penstemon - Beardtongues

Plant Calculator

How many Penstemon eatonii (Firecracker Penstemon) do I need for my garden?

%
ft
ft

Your Shopping List

Plant Quantity
Penstemon eatonii (Firecracker Penstemon)

Find your Hardiness Zone

Find your Climate Zone

Find your Heat Zone

Join Gardenia.net

Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.

Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.

Join now and start creating your dream garden!

Create a New Collection

Optional. For your reference.


Move Selected Plants to a Different Collection


Delete Collection

This field is required.

Rename Collection

This field is required.