About Penstemon spectabilis Thurb. ex Torr. & A.Gray
Penstemon spectabilis is a perennial herb with an upright or mounding growth habit. Over its 5–10 year lifespan, it reaches a maximum height of 2–4 feet and a maximum width of 3–4 feet. Its thin leaves are lance-shaped to oval, with toothed edges, and grow up to 10 centimeters long. The oppositely arranged leaf pairs may fuse around the stem at their bases. The inflorescence holds wide-mouthed, tubular violet or purple-blue flowers that can be over 3 centimeters long. These flowers have reddish-purple nectar guides, and their throats are lighter in color, ranging from lavender to nearly white. The plant produces a capsule fruit, and it is known to self-seed. Penstemon spectabilis is native to the mountains of southern California and Baja California. It grows at elevations below 6000 feet, on rocky slopes, in dry washes and disturbed areas, as a member of chaparral or coastal sage scrub plant communities. It grows best in full sun on well-drained, often rocky soils. In Baja California, it occurs from the northern town of Tecate to the hills southeast of El Rosario. Ecologically, Penstemon spectabilis blooms from April to June or July. It is pollinated by wasps such as Pseudomasaris vespoides, and also by hummingbirds. Occasional summer rain leads to more abundant flowering, but it can also shorten the plant's lifespan.
