Penstemon thurberi
Thurber's beardtongue
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Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Penstemon thurberi (Thurber's beardtongue) is a native California shrub in the Plantaginaceae family, recognized by distinctive rolled linear leaves and shrubby habit.
Thurber's beardtongue is a California native shrub found in the Peninsular Ranges and Mojave Desert bioregions on sandy and gravelly slopes in chaparral, creosote-bush scrub, and pinyon/juniper woodland at elevations of 200 to 1,600 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces lavender, rose, or blue-purple flowers 8 to 15 millimeters long with a funnel-shaped corolla and obliquely spreading lips. Growing as a rounded shrub 20 to 80 centimeters tall, it has a compact and symmetrical form with glabrous stems. Its narrow, linear leaves are 10 to 45 millimeters long, typically rolled upward and nearly round in cross-section. The plant features a distinctive flower with a hairy inner floor and spreading anther sacs that give it a delicate, intricate appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 32 sympatric species; distinctive rolled linear leaves and shrubby habit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy and gravelly slopes and mesas, in chaparral, creosote-bush or Joshua-tree scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 200-1600 m
California counties: San Bernardino, San Diego, Riverside
Outside California: to Nevada, New Mexico, Mexico
Bloom period
Penstemon thurberi blooms May-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
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 thurberi native to California?
Yes. Penstemon thurberi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Penstemon thurberi bloom?
Penstemon thurberi blooms May-Jun.
Where in California does Penstemon thurberi grow?
Penstemon thurberi occurs in San Bernardino, San Diego, Riverside, at elevations of 200-1600 m.
What plant family does Penstemon thurberi belong to?
Penstemon thurberi is in the Plantaginaceae family, genus Penstemon.
Is Penstemon thurberi rare or endangered?
Penstemon thurberi carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.