Native Plants
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.
Penstemon whippleanus
Penstemon whippleanus A. Gray
Whipple's Penstemon, Whipple's Beardtongue
Scrophulariaceae (Figwort Family)
Synonym(s):
USDA Symbol: PEWH
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
Deep wine-lavender to black-purple bilaterally symmetrical flowers bloom in several clusters in the upper half of leafy stems.
This common mountain Penstemon can ordinarily be recognized by its plump, dark purple, glandular-hairy corollas. However, phases with dingy yellow or white corollas blushed with brown, purple, or blue are frequent.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Herb , Subshrub
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 3 feet tall.
Leaf: Green
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: White , Purple , VioletBloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep
Distribution
USA: AZ , CO , ID , MT , NM , UT , WYNative Distribution: Southern Montana southward through the Rocky Mountain regions to northern Arizona and southern New Mexico.
Native Habitat: In meadows or on wooded slopes, moist areas.
Growing Conditions
Water Use: MediumLight Requirement: Part Shade
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Benefit
Conspicuous Flowers: yesValue to Beneficial Insects
Special Value to Native BeesThis information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Find Seed or Plants
View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.
National Wetland Indicator Status
Region: | AGCP | AK | AW | CB | EMP | GP | HI | MW | NCNE | WMVE |
Status: | FACU | FACU | FACU |
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
Web Reference
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 whippleanus in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Penstemon whippleanus in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Penstemon whippleanus
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-05-22Research By: TWC Staff