Penstemon centranthifolius

Scarlet bugler

Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Scarlet bugler is a California native perennial found in the northern Coast Ranges, northern Sierra Nevada foothills, margins of the Central Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, southern Coast Ranges, southwestern California, and western Mojave Desert in dry, open chaparral and oak woodland at elevations below 1,800 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces bright red tubular flowers 20 to 30 millimeters long with projecting lobes that do not spread open. Growing with tall, glaucous stems 30 to 120 centimeters in height, it has a distinctly upright and robust form. Its thick leaves are primarily lanceolate to ovate, with middle stem leaves 40 to 100 millimeters long and distinctively heart-shaped at the base, clasping the stem. The flower's deep red tubular shape and glabrous surface make it a striking addition to dry, sunny habitats.

Habitat: Dry, open chaparral or oak woodland

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: < 1800 m

Bioregions: NCoR, n SNF, margins of GV, SnFrB, SCoR, SW (exc SCo), sw edge DMoj

California counties: Ventura, Los Angeles, Kern, San Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Benito, Fresno, San Luis Obispo, Contra Costa, Santa Barbara, Lake, Merced, Monterey, Orange, Solano, Yolo, Colusa, Glenn, Imperial, Siskiyou

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.