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More information »	Oxalis oregana 'Klamath Ruby' (redwood sorrel) Low spreading groundcover which thrives in the shady conditions of Douglas fir and redwood forests. The cultivar ‘Klamath Ruby’ offers dark green clover-like foliage with beautiful burgundy backed leaves. White flowers with pale pink veining on the petals bloom in the spring. A lovely groundcover for a shady garden with some summer water, though it is drought tolerant in coastal zones, once established. Deer resistant.
More information »	Oxalis oregana 'Smith River White' (white redwood sorrel) This Cal Flora selection carries white flowers with thin pink lines on the petals held up above the foliage, thus creating an effect somewhat reminiscent of our small native anemones. The foliage is handsome with dark olive green tops and purple-red undersides to the leaves. The perfect ground cover for deep to moderate shade with some summer moisture. Drought tolerant when grown in more coastal areas. Rampant when its needs are met, it competes well with tree roots and is the perfect companion to other redwood forest understory plants. Deer resistant.
More information »	Pectiantia ovalis (coastal miterwort) Plant description coming soon.
More information »	Penstemon 'Catherine de la Mare' (penstemon) Beautiful electric blue tubular flowers blush purple as they age. Low (12 -18 inches tall) plant with a loose, open habit. Blooming begins in May and continues for a month or two. An easy and hardy penstemon requiring moderate water and sun to light shade. Wonderful for the front of borders. Adored by hummingbirds and bees.
More information »	Penstemon 'Chiapas' This Penstemon offers a unique growth habit, with strong erect stems rising to 4 or 5 ft. tall. No flopping here, this perennial forms a vertical tower of apple green, triangular leaves that are slightly sticky. Chubby, purple, open mouth flowers bloom along each stem tip in mid summer. Plant in full sun with moderate summer water. Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds are all attracted to its flowers. Deer resistant.
More information »	Penstemon azureus (azure penstemon) Native to the mountains of California and Oregon where it grows in woodland and chaparral plant communities. Forms a tidy mound of bluish-green leaves 1-2 ft. tall and wide with bright blue tubular flowers late spring into summer. Requires good drainage and sun to light shade. This species is drought tolerant but prefers occasional summer water and is more garden tolerant than most native Penstemons. Attractive to bees and hummingbirds.
More information »	Penstemon barbatus (southwest penstemon) Native to sunny, hot, rocky slopes from Utah and Colorado to Texas and Mexico, this striking penstemon is a willing grower. Forms a low mound of lush foliage, topped with 4 ft. tall, erect flower spikes of brilliant, scarlet, tubular blossoms, providing a bold splash of color in beds, borders, rock garden or meadow planting. Plant in full sun with good drainage where it will be drought tolerant once established. Flowers adored by hummingbirds and butterflies. Deer resistant.
More information »	Penstemon barbatus 'Coral Baby' (southwest penstemon) This dazzling selection of Penstemon is from the Plant Select program of Colorado. Forms a tidy, compact mound of bright green foliage to around 15 inches tall by 12 inches or so wide. Late spring brings upright spikes of eye catching coral-pink tubular flowers which attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Full sun with good drainage and moderate to occasional summer water.
More information »	Penstemon barbatus 'Riding Hood Red' (southwest penstemon) Trumpet-shaped blossoms of coral-red arise on thick stems up to 2 ft. high on this Dutch selection of the beardlip penstemon. Originating from the American Southwest, this superlative species offers flowers from late spring to the end of summer, enticing hummingbirds, bees and butterflies into the garden. Light green, lanceolate leaves grow densely at the base and climb up the stout stalks. This selection has proven to be very garden tolerant, liking full sun and moderate to infrequent irrigation.
More information »	Penstemon centranthifolius (scarlet buglar) Custom made for hummingbirds, this Penstemon sports an abundance of bright-red to orange-red tubular flowers from late spring into summer. Native to dry habitats in the North Coast Ranges south to Mexico and east to the Southern Sierra, growing in chaparral and openings in woodlands below 6000 ft. Thick, blue-green leaves form a rosette 1 – 2 ft. tall and wide. Long flower spikes rise 2 – 4 ft. above the waxy leaves with many narrow, tubular, scarlet blossoms. Likes full sun, lean soils and good drainage. Drought and cold tolerant. Hummingbird and butterfly favorite.
More information »	Penstemon davidsonii (Davidson's penstemon) Description coming soon.
More information »	Penstemon eatonii (firecracker penstemon) Adaptable and beautiful perennial native to the western United States including southeastern California. Narrow, leathery leaves form an evergreen rosette of foliage. Flower stalks rise 2-3 ft above the foliage. This form has brilliant red tubular flowers lining the erect stems in early summer. Requires good drainage, full sun to light shade and occasional to little summer water. Tolerates winter cold to 18 degrees and drought once established. Hummingbird favorite.
More information »	Penstemon fruticosus (shrubby penstemon) Blue-purple, trumpet-shaped flowers with curvy, flared lips cover this diminutive mountain species with a showy display in spring or early summer. Truly a delightful and easy to grow mountain penstemon, only reaching about 12 inches high and spreading to about 1.5 ft, covered in dense, narrow leaves. Perfect for a container or in a rock garden with good drainage. Enjoys full sun to light shade and occasional to infrequent irrigation. Native to the Pacific Northwest and the Northern Rockies, almost making it into California. A favorite of hummingbirds and enjoyed by bees.
More information »	Penstemon heterophyllus (foothill penstemon) Iridescent blue-purple tubular flowers in short spikes put on a good show over a long period in spring and early summer. The spent flower spikes should be cut off to encourage more blooming, better form, and longer life. Best in full sun with well drained soils and moderate to little water once established. Hummingbird favorite.
More information »	Penstemon heterophyllus 'Blue Springs' (foothill penstemon) A seed strain of a highly variable native penstemon. Attractive narrow, shiny, bluish-green leaves topped with dense spikes of narrow bell-shaped blossoms of bright blue. Flowers late spring to early summer, growing to around 1 to 1 1/2 ft. tall and wide. The spent flower spikes should be cut off to encourage more blooming, better form, and longer life. Best in full sun with good drainage and moderate to little summer water.
More information »	Penstemon heterophyllus 'GMR White' (white foothill penstemon) Description coming soon!
More information »	Penstemon heterophyllus 'Margarita BOP' (foothill penstemon) A fine selection of a native penstemon from Las Pilitas Nursery where this chance hybrid seedling was discovered at the “Bottom Of the Porch”. Forms a tidy mound 18 inches tall by 2 ft. or so wide. Iridescent blue-purple tubular flowers in short spikes put on a good show over a long period in spring and early summer. The spent flower spikes should be cut off to encourage more blooming, better form, and longer life. Best in full sun with well drained soils and moderate to little water once established. 'Margarita BOP' has proven particularly adaptable and has survived longer than other cultivars. Hummingbird favorite.
More information »	Penstemon heterophyllus - Hood Mt. seed strain (foothill penstemon) From the rugged Hood Mountain area, southeast of Santa Rosa, comes this local seed strain of foothill penstemon, which is showing promise as a particularly good performer. Proving to be vigorous and disease resistant, blooming freely with particularly large, vivid-blue, open-mouthed, tubular blossoms, spring into summer. An evergreen perennial, growing 1 -2 ft. tall and wide, for full sun with decent drainage, and little water once established. Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds are all attracted to the showy flowers. A great, local, seed grown alternative to the cutting grown 'Margarita BOP'.
More information »	Penstemon newberryi (mountain pride) As the common name implies, this beauty is native to the mountains of California, Oregon and Nevada, where it grows in rocky habitats at high elevations. Forms an evergreen mat, under a foot tall with thick, leathery leaves and gorgeous magenta-pink tubular flowers, in mid to late spring. Good drainage is a must for success and growing in a container is an option for those with heavy soils. Full sun to very light shade with occasional summer waterings. Can be challenging to cultivate, but well worth the extra effort. The showy flowers are highly attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. Said to be deer resistant.
More information »	Penstemon palmeri (scented penstemon) Showy, grape-scented, pale pink flowers top blue-green, succulent-like foliage on vertical stalks reaching an astonishing 3 to 5 ft. in height. The bulbous flowers have given rise to the common name, ballon flower. Native to desert mountains of southern California and throughout the western United States. This penstemon is attractive to a multitude of pollinators, especially hummingbirds. Plant in full sun to light shade and provide good drainage. Drought tolerant once established. The tall but narrow flower stalks make this penstemon useful in narrow spaces where height is desired.
More information »	Penstemon parryi (Parry's penstemon) An adaptable species from the desert southwest of the United States. Thick bluish-green foliage forms a low rosette up to 2 feet wide. Bright pink funnel-shaped flowers are produced in profusion on stems 1-3 ft. tall in spring. Good drainage and full sun with moderate to little water once established. Attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
More information »	Penstemon pseudospectabilis (desert penstemon) From the southeast corner of the state comes this surprisingly adaptable penstemon, with prolific displays of magenta-purple, tubular flowers with flared mouths. Large, serrated, gray-green leaves line stems in attractive pairs. Flower stalks rise 2 – 3 ft. in spring, drawing in hummingbirds and bees. Even though this species is from the desert, it does quite well in local gardens with good drainage, full sun and occasional irrigation once established. Several local butterflies use the desert penstemon as a larval food source, including the common buckeye, variable checkerspot and Edith’s checkerspot.
More information »	Penstemon rostriflorus (Bridges' penstemon) A wonderful addition to the dry garden, bringing late summer color through abundant, bright red, tubular flowers. Growing 24 – 36 inches tall and wide, with attractive, glossy foliage, that takes on red and bronze tones in winter. A late blooming Penstemon, beginning in July, provides copious nectar for hummingbirds as well as bees, butterflies, and moths. Tolerant of wide range of soils and conditions, plant in full sun to light shade with occasional water. Drought tolerant once established. Deer resistant.
More information »	Penstemon rydbergii (meadow penstemon) A widespread species native to much of the western United States, including California, growing in mountainous regions in moist meadows and along streams. Forms a low rosette of bright green leaves topped with flower stems 1 -2 foot tall. The small, lavender-purple, tubular flowers are clustered in whorls on dense spikes. The blossoms offer an excellent source of nectar and pollen to hummingbirds, bees and butterflies, as well as a larval food source for a number of butterfly species. Considered easy to grow and long lived. Plant in full sun to light shade with regular moisture. Somewhat winter deciduous. Deer resistant.
More information »	Penstemon speciosus (royal penstemon) Found in higher elevation localities of inland Northern California, royal penstemon is a vibrantly colorful addition to the dry, full sun garden. In summer, the large, saturated blue-purple florets are held in clusters on stems rising almost 2’ tall above a low, evergreen rosette of glossy, strap-like foliage, reaching 1' -2' wide. Attracts a multitude of pollinators. Does best with decent soil drainage, and inland sites that provide seasonality—colder winters, and hotter summers. Drought-tolerant once established.