Penstemon heterophyllus var. purdyi
Purdy's foothill penstemon
Photo: parent species Penstemon heterophyllus · (c) Kenzie Anderson-Bell, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Penstemon heterophyllus var. purdyi (Purdy's foothill penstemon) is a native California subshrub in the Plantaginaceae family, recognized by consistently hairy herbage, lack of axillary clusters, and wider leaves.
Purdy's foothill penstemon is a California native perennial found in northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range foothills, northern Sierra Nevada, Sacramento Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, and south-central coastal regions in grasslands, chaparral, and forest openings at elevations of 50 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces blue to purple flowers with distinctive tubular shapes. Growing with short-hairy stems 10 to 40 centimeters tall, it forms compact clumps in open habitats. Its leaves are narrowly lance-shaped, 2 to 7.5 millimeters wide, with minimal axillary leaf clusters. The plant's short, fine hairs give it a soft, delicate appearance characteristic of its foothill and grassland environments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 43 sympatric species; distinguished by consistently hairy herbage, lack of axillary clusters, and wider leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: Grassland, chaparral, forest openings
Elevation: 50-1900 m
California counties: Colusa, Sonoma, Solano, Santa Clara, Butte, Lassen, Sutter, Lake, Tehama, Napa, Glenn, Mendocino, Contra Costa, Placer, Humboldt, Alameda, Sierra, San Benito, Mariposa, Stanislaus, Marin, Calaveras, Nevada, Merced, Trinity, Shasta, Yuba, Yolo, El Dorado
Bloom period
Penstemon heterophyllus var. purdyi blooms May-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Epilobium: Penstemon has tubular two-lipped flowers with five stamens; Epilobium has four-petaled open flowers with eight stamens.; vs Keckiella: Penstemon is herbaceous and dies back; Keckiella has persistent woody stems year-round.; vs Salvia: Penstemon has five stamens (one sterile); Salvia has only two fertile stamens and square stems.; vs Ipomopsis: Penstemon has two-lipped tubular flowers; Ipomopsis has star-shaped flowers with five equal lobes.; vs Antirrhinum: Penstemon has a sterile stamen visible inside; Antirrhinum has only four stamens, none sterile.
Frequently asked questions
Is Penstemon heterophyllus var. purdyi native to California?
Yes. Penstemon heterophyllus var. purdyi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Penstemon heterophyllus var. purdyi bloom?
Penstemon heterophyllus var. purdyi blooms May-Jun.
Where in California does Penstemon heterophyllus var. purdyi grow?
Penstemon heterophyllus var. purdyi occurs in Colusa, Sonoma, Solano, Santa Clara, Butte, Lassen, Sutter, Lake and other counties, at elevations of 50-1900 m.
What plant family does Penstemon heterophyllus var. purdyi belong to?
Penstemon heterophyllus var. purdyi is in the Plantaginaceae family, genus Penstemon.
What habitat does Penstemon heterophyllus var. purdyi grow in?
Penstemon heterophyllus var. purdyi grows in Grassland, chaparral, forest openings.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.