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Recommended Plants for Sierra Foothills Rock Gardens

The following is a list of plants that we have successfully grown in our gardens. To browse through our database of recommended plants, click on the letter corresponding to the Genus. Use the Pager at the bottom of the page to move through all plants that begin with that letter.

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Plant ID Plant name Culture ht X width(in) Zone Description
364 Penstemon azureus angustissimus 12X15 5 Another beautiful penstemon. Narrow blue-grey leaves and large radiant blue flowers. This selection from Tehamo County, CA on south facing dry slopes. CA WN DR TNT
129 Penstemon azureus ‘Lake County Special’ 15X20 5 A beautiful penstemon from the higher elevations of Lake County, CA. (7000’) Forms nice compact mounds of glaucous linear blue-grey foliage. Flower buds are bright yellow, but open to rich blue-violet flowers. CA WN DR TNT
363 Penstemon azureus azureus 12X15 5 There are many forms of this plant. The one we grew from the Central Sierra Nevada, Fresno County had narrow silvery blue grey leaves and numerous wide-throated azure blue flowers. A gorgeous plant that does well in our garden, as do most penstemon from this subgenus. CA WN DR TNT
241 Penstemon barrettiae 15X15 6 We have been surprised at how well this plant has done in our berm of western natives as most members of the Dasanthera subgenus just fry in our gardens. Beautiful leathery blue green leaves and large rose-violet flowers in early spring. WN DR TNT
125 Penstemon californicus 5X15 5 Very nice mounds of small silvery leaves and small purple flowers on this rare and most beautiful dwarf penstemon from the mountains of southern California. Needs a well drained soil with a gravel mulch. CA WN DR TNT
291 Penstemon clutei 30X24 0 A beautiful Arizona penstemon for larger dryland gardens. Large clumps of attractive leathery blue-grey leaves and spikes of rose pink flowers in late spring. Your hummingbirds will thank you. Needs no water at all once established. Let it self sow in dry gravel beds in the garden. WN DR TNT
127 Penstemon davidsonii praeteritus 4X12 3 A famous Penstemon from the Steen Mts in Oregon. Mats of small blue-green leaves are dwarfed by the large lilac-blue flowers. Exquisite. Best above 3000'. In lower gardens, will need some shelter from the sun and may prove short-lived. WN DR
305 Penstemon davidsonii davidsonii 4X12 5 A penstemon found in many mountains of the west. Mats of dark green leaves and short erect stems of lavender blue, relatively large flowers. A rock garden classic to be grown on the north side of a rock. A great plant for higher elevation gardens. Below 3000' it may need careful siting and be short lived. CA WN DR TNT
914 Penstemon duchesnensis 5X5 4 A very dwarf species with tufts of gray-green leaves. Short stems of blue flowers white throats. A jewel from the Uintah Basin of Utah, perfect for the trough. We have not trialed it in the open garden yet. WN DR
551 Penstemon grinnellii 30X36 A large California Penstemon that is excellent for dry landscaping. Mounds of leathery serrated leaves in an olive-grey color. Profuse inflorescences of large pale pink flowers. Needs no water once established. Let it self sow in gravelly areas. CA WN DR TNT
130 Penstemon heterophyllus ‘True Blue’ 12X18 6 A nice form of the foothill penstemon with clumps of glossy green foliage and incredible, true blue flowers. Easy and wonderful. Let a few plants go to seed and sprinkle the seeds around your garden. Can thrive with very little water at all, but can take water in a well drained garden. We consider this a "must have" for foothill gardens. CA WN DR TNT
131 Penstemon hirsutus pygmaeus 4X12 4 Eastern native that does best in part shade in our gardens. Dwarf forms such as these have charming lavender flowers with white tips. TNT
234 Penstemon linarioides compactifolius 5X15 4 Narrow silvery leaves on dense mounds of arching stems. Flowers are blue to lavender with pale throats and nice veining. One of our favorites from pine forests near Flagstaff Arizona. In our gardens, individual plants are short lived with water every other week, but they reseed reliably. This has become our favorite rock garden penstemon in our gardens. WN DR TNT
132 Penstemon newberryi sonomensis 15X15 5 A vigorous version of our beautiful Mountain Pride Penstemon that can handle the lower elevations better than the Sierra mountain form. Leathery leaves and berry red flowers. Plant in well drained soil, gravel mulch, on the north side of a rock. Do not water more than once a week. CA WN DR TNT
133 Penstemon palmeri 48X24 4 A striking penstemon. Large serrated leaves of glaucous blue green and 4 foot stalks of pink flowers that are large enough to accommodate the bumblebees. The only truly fragrant penstemon. Best if not watered more than once a month. An invaluable landscape accent for us. CA WN DR TNT
743 Penstemon petiolatus 5X7 7 An extremely beautiful and hard to find penstemon. Rose magenta flowers on small shrubby mounds of silver serrated leaves. Grows on limestone cliffs. We have not trialed it in the open garden yet. WN DR
134 Penstemon pinifolius 10X15 4 Tiny green needle-like leaves and small but numerous flowers in shades of orange, scarlet, and yellow. An easy penstemon in a range of climates. WN DR TNT
137 Penstemon purpusii 6X15 5 Grey felt-like leaves hug the ground and are graced with very dark purple flowers. A beautiful rock garden penstemon endemic to a few mountain ranges near Lake County, CA around 7000’ elevation. Better at higher elevation gardens. For us it is short lived, but reseeds well and has also hybridized with other Saccanthera members, creating a beautiful hybrid swarm. CA WN DR TNT
138 Penstemon richardsonii 24X24 5 A wonderful and easy penstemon for tumbling down banks, with serrated, burgundy tinted leaves and rosy purple flowers in early summer. Leave a few seed pods on the stalk and it will politely spread in nearby nooks and crannies. WN DR TNT
139 Penstemon roezlii A common penstemon in the mid elevations of the Sierras, with blue green leaves, glandular stems and pretty blue flowers. It is easy and long blooming in our gardens, although it tends to spread out and lose its compact habit. CA WN DR TNT