Penstemon grinnellii

Grinnell's beardtongue

Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Grinnell's beardtongue is a California native perennial herb found in rocky or dry habitats at elevations of 50 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces lavender to purple flowers with a distinctive wide throat 10 to 18 millimeters across, adorned with intricate internal markings. Growing 10 to 85 centimeters tall with smooth stems that become glandular near the flower clusters, it develops an upright, somewhat arching form. Its thick lanceolate leaves measure 50 to 90 millimeters long, often folded lengthwise and curving gracefully, with edges ranging from nearly entire to slightly toothed. The plant's staminode is particularly notable, emerging from the flower and covered in dense golden to yellow hairs.

California counties: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern, Riverside, Ventura, San Benito, Orange, Tulare, Inyo, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Fresno

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