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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Penstemon rydbergii (Rydberg's penstemon)
Glase, Terry

Penstemon rydbergii

Penstemon rydbergii A. Nelson

Rydberg's Penstemon, Rydberg's Beardtongue

Scrophulariaceae (Figwort Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: PERY

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Small, pale purple to dark blue-violet, bilaterally symmetrical flowers forming 1 or several dense whorls at or along upper part of erect stems.

The dark blue-violet whorls of small flowers help distinguish this common penstemon from most other species.

 

From the Image Gallery

12 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb , Subshrub
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 4 feet tall.
Leaf: Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Blue
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , CO , ID , MT , NM , NV , OR , UT , WA , WY
Native Distribution: Southeastern Washington south to eastern California and east to northern Arizona, northern New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, and southwestern Montana.
Native Habitat: Open mountain slopes.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FACU FAC FACU
This information is derived from: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. (2023). 2022 National Wetland Plant List, version 3.6. U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS. https://wetland-plants.usace.army.mil/. Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Tohono Chul Park, Inc. - Tucson, AZ
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Web Reference

Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) Calflora
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Penstemon rydbergii in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Penstemon rydbergii in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Penstemon rydbergii

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-05-22
Research By: TWC Staff

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