Skip to product info
SALE
Ships in FALL

Firecracker Penstemon Richfield Strain

Penstemon eatonii 'Richfield Strain'

$9.59
$9.59 $11.99
per Plant - 5" Deep Pot
Sale | Save 20%
ZONES  4-9 | Good to grow! Zone
Choose a Size: Plant - 5" Deep Pot
$8.49
$8.49 $0.00
$9.99
$9.99 $0.00
$9.59
$9.59 $11.99
Bulk Savings - Buy More, Save More!
Amount: Plant - 5" Deep Pot
$8.49
$8.49 $0.00
$9.99
$9.99 $0.00
$9.59
$9.59 $11.99
No shipping data More Information

• The Richfield form of Eaton's Beardtongue was selected for its overall vigor and flower production
• It blooms in early to mid-spring with tall spikes of brilliant red flowers
• This host plant supports over a dozen species of moths and butterflies
• Drought resistant/drought tolerant plant (xeric)

Videos
     

More Like This

Description

24-36" tall x 15" wide. Firecracker Beardtongue was released by the Soil Conservation Service's Plant Materials Center in Aberdeen, ID. Seeds of this species were collected from 15 different locations in UT. Plants from each seed location were evaluated in side-by-side field trials for beauty, hardiness, longevity and natural range of adaptability. 'Richfield Selection' from Sevier Co., UT was judged superior. Plant this beauty in full sun sites with lean, well drained soil. Water deeply but infrequently after the first growing season. Excellent companion plants include Nepeta faassenii 'Select Blue' and Stanleya pinnata. (seed propagated)

Planting & Care

Tips for growing Penstemon (Beardtongue)

Penstemon are generally evergreen and have beautiful flowers that are very attractive to hummingbirds. Most varieties are rabbit resistant.

  1. They need “elbow room,” maximum sun, heat and don’t like to be crowded by other plants.
  2. Plant only in well-drained soils; clay soils and Penstemon are incompatible.
  3. Avoid overly enriched soils; too much compost and fertilizer will shorten their lifespan.
  4. They establish quickly and the amount and frequency of watering needs to be reduced after about 8 to 10 weeks to create dry conditions.
  5. When using drip irrigation, be sure to put the emitter off to the side of the plant, not right on top of the root ball to avoid overwatering the plant.
  6. Plant high, leaving the top of the rootball just above the surrounding soil to avoid burying the crown of the plant.
  7. Mulch with gravel or pine needles in arid climates. No mulch is needed where conditions are moister. Always avoid bark, grass clippings, or compost as mulch materials.
  8. Allow some of the plants to set seed (don't deadhead all of the flower spikes)*.
  9. Fertilize sparingly. One time each year in the fall is enough. Apply a light application of an organic or natural fertilizer such as Yum Yum Mix as a top dressing around the plants. Don't use high nitrogen water soluble fertilizer like Miracle Grow.

*To keep penstemon that have finely textured or matted evergreen foliage looking their best, you'll want to 'deadhead" them. Shear off the fading flowering spikes just as the plant is going out of flower. Gently bunch the flower spikes together with one hand and cut them off at the point where they go down into the mat of foliage with your clipper in your other hand. Recommended for the following varieties: P. pinifolius types (‘Compactum', ‘Mersea Yellow', ‘Nearly Red', ‘Magdalena Sunshine' and ‘Tall Orange Mix'), as well as Penstemon linarioides v. coloradensis and Penstemon virens ('Blue Lips').

More in-depth guidance for growing Penstemon: Growing Penstemon, The Beardtongue Family: Penstemania for Penstemon.

Shipping

No shipping data

As soon as your order is placed you will receive a confirmation email. You will receive a second email the day your order ships telling you how it has been sent. Some perennials are shipped as potted plants, some as perennial roots packed in peat.  The ‘Plant Information’ section describes how that item will ship. All perennials and fall-planted bulbs are packaged to withstand shipping and are fully-guaranteed. Please open upon receipt and follow the instructions included.

Perennials and fall-planted bulbs are shipped at the proper planting time for your Growing Zone. Perennial and fall-planted bulb orders will arrive separately from seeds. If your order requires more than one shipment and all items are shipping to the same address, there is no additional shipping charge. See our shipping information page for approximate ship dates and more detailed information. If you have any questions, please call Customer Service at (801) 769-0300 or contact us by email or chat.

View

Key Features

Light Requirements

  • Full Sun

Bloom Time

Mid spring

Advantages

  • Bee Friendly
  • Attracts Butterflies
  • Attracts Hummingbirds
  • Attracts Birds
  • Native
  • Easy To Grow
  • Container Planting
  • Rock Gardens
  • Deer Resistant
  • Rabbit Resistant

Additional information

Mature Height

24-36" tall

Mature Spread

15" wide

Soil Type

  • Sandy Soil

Soil Moisture

  • Waterwise

Planting Time

  • Fall

Growing Zones

  • Zone 4
  • Zone 5
  • Zone 6
  • Zone 7
  • Zone 8
  • Zone 9

Ships As

Potted Plant

Can Send To PO Box

No

Ships to Hawaii & Alaska

No

Overall rating: 4.5 / 5 from 10 reviews.

AI Generated Review Summary

Summary topics

Review topics: [].

Review highlights

Reviews

working in pnw!

"this penstemon is thriving in a wet winter,, i did plant it on a mounded area given its native habitat and our wet winters. has been slow to grow. . flowers are beautiful red spikes not super tall. along with davidson's penstemon has been a bit of a star."

— Cv (5/5)

Great plants, but this seed selection is cold tender.

"I've planted this plant 3 years in a row(at least four plants each attempt), and a single plant never overwintered. I've tried fall planting, spring planting, crevice garden, flat ground, rock wall, clay soil, gravelly soil, south side of the house, north side of the house…nothing has ever worked. My winter lows the past three years have been; -12°F, -26°F, and -24°F. It's a great plant honestly, but I have never gotten to see the splendor of a mature individual due to it not overwintering. Buyer beware if you're in zone 4 or 5, you might want to look for this plant from a different source(I've bought a few from other retailers and every one stays evergreen throughout the winter)."

— Oscarflip (3/5)

4/6 survived their first Winter

"I planted these in the Fall with YumYum Mix, protected from deer and expected them to thrive. This should be their sweet spot; a gentle South slope in full sun at 6950 feet. They had more snow cover than is typical here, and only four made it through. They have had supplemental water, since they are babies. One is blooming on a 1' spike. The others are about 3"" tall with no blooms. I can't say that I am impressed."

— Tam (3/5)

Love having natives in the garden

"I recently went hiking in American Fork Canyon in Utah and saw these blooming along the mountain sides and it felt so special to have them growing in my own garden too! The hummingbirds love these as well, the instant they started blooming the hummingbirds found them, it was magical!!"

— Hannah (5/5)

Glorious color

"Planted in flower bed with other perrenials, very striking addition."

— Rosalyn (5/5)

Knockout flower color!

"Within the first week of arrival these poor plants were subjected to wind, hail, rain, wind, sun, wind and frost. Then came sun, more sun and drought. In spite of all that there are flowers and new growth on each plant! I couldn't ask for better performance!"

— Plant L. (5/5)

Vibrant Red!

"I ordered 2 Firecracker Penstemon for Spring planting. They were both 'leggy' on arrival and in July I still have the main stems propped-up with small rocks. They are very touchy as far as watering goes and will let you know if you've overdone it with quickly yellowing leaves. They don't seem to need much water to get established. Only one bloomed for me this first season, but it was a full stem of flowers and a wonderful display of color! I am looking forward to watching them grow."

— Busybizzybee (4/5)

Blooming already

"I was looking for a desert plant that would standup to both extremes of weather here and I love the desert style blossoms they produce. About a week after I planted them, a windstorm threw a garbage can lid on top of one of them. It survived the tragedy well, and is now the first one to start blooming."

— Jimmy (5/5)

I would highly recommend

"I am growing this in a container as I don't have the soil conditions to grow them in my garden."

— SuzanneW (5/5)

Nice wildflower

"Planed in desert landscape (sand and pea gravel), growing very well, even with 55 inches of rainfall. Should bloom soon."

— Mike (5/5)

Q&A

Your Recently Viewed