Page author: David Giblin
Penstemon fruticosus
bush penstemon, shrubby penstemon
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to Oregon, east to Alberta, Montana and Wyoming.

Habitat: Common in rocky, open or wooded areas, foothills to rather high elevations in the mountains.

Flowers: May-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, flies, wasps, hummingbirds

Description:
General:

Bushy-branched, ascending or erect shrubs, the stems 1.5-4 dm. tall, glabrous except for the stalked glands in the inflorescence.

Leaves:

Leaves opposite, the larger leaves crowded toward the base of the season\\\\'s growth on short, sterile shoots, the blades entire or toothed, up to 6 cm. long and 1.5 cm. wide, short-petiolate; flowering shoots with reduced and less-crowded leaves.

Flowers:

Inflorescence a short, few-flowered, bracteate raceme, with simple, axillary pedicels; calyx 7-15 mm. long, with 5 lanceolate, long-acuminate segments; corolla blue-lavender to light purplish, 30-50 mm. long, 1 cm. wide at the mouth, keeled on the back, glabrous outside, with long, white hairs on the base of the lower lip within; anthers long-woolly, the pollen sacs wholly dehiscent and opening wide enough to form a plane; staminode slender, shorter than the 4 fertile filaments, long-bearded toward the tip.

Fruits:

Capsules 8-12 mm. long.

Accepted Name:
Penstemon fruticosus (Pursh) Greene
Publication: Pittonia 2(11): 239. 1892.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
(none provided)
Infraspecies:
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Penstemon fruticosus in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Penstemon fruticosus checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Penstemon fruticosus information.

E-Flora BC: Penstemon fruticosus atlas page.

CalPhotos: Penstemon fruticosus photos.

USDA Plants: Penstemon fruticosus information.

101 photographs:
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