Penstemon patens
Lone pine beardtongue
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Penstemon patens (Lone pine beardtongue) is a native California subshrub in the Plantaginaceae family, recognized by thick leaves and anthers dehiscing full length diagnostic.
Lone pine beardtongue is a California native perennial found in central Sierra Nevada and southern Sierra Nevada Mountains in sagebrush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland, and yellow-pine forest at elevations of 1,600 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces lavender, magenta, or violet flowers with a distinctive staminode minutely covered in orange to yellow hairs. Growing 15 to 40 centimeters tall with a glabrous and glaucous appearance, it develops thick stems and well-developed basal leaves. Its cauline leaves are lanceolate, 25 to 90 millimeters long and 5 to 20 millimeters wide, growing entire along the stem. The flower's corolla measures 13 to 20 millimeters long, with a calyx 3 to 7 millimeters in length featuring widely ovate lobes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 16 sympatric species; thick leaves and anthers dehiscing full length diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sagebrush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland, yellow-pine forest
Elevation: 1600-3000 m
California counties: Inyo, Mono, Sierra
Outside California: southern Nevada
Bloom period
Penstemon patens 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 patens native to California?
Yes. Penstemon patens is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Penstemon patens bloom?
Penstemon patens blooms May-Jun.
Where in California does Penstemon patens grow?
Penstemon patens occurs in Inyo, Mono, Sierra, at elevations of 1600-3000 m.
What plant family does Penstemon patens belong to?
Penstemon patens is in the Plantaginaceae family, genus Penstemon.
What habitat does Penstemon patens grow in?
Penstemon patens grows in Sagebrush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland, yellow-pine forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Penstemon personatus — Closed-throated beardtongue
- Penstemon procerus — Littleflower penstemon
- Penstemon procerus var. brachyanthus — Pincushion beardtongue
- Penstemon procerus var. formosus — Pincushion beardtongue
- Penstemon pseudospectabilis — Desert penstemon
- Penstemon pseudospectabilis ssp. pseudospectabilis — desert beardtongue
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.