Penstemon eatonii – Firecracker Penstemon

Scarlet fireworks for your garden! This spectacular Western native explodes with brilliant red tubular flowers that hummingbirds can't resist. Tall, graceful flower spikes rise 1-3 feet above dense rosettes of glossy green foliage, creating stunning vertical drama in spring and early summer. Tough as nails and adapted to harsh desert and mountain conditions, this beauty thrives where others struggle. Perfect for waterwise gardens, rock gardens, or anywhere you want eye-popping color with minimal effort.

Why Grow Firecracker Penstemon:

• Brilliant scarlet-red blooms—major hummingbird magnet
• Native to Western US—perfectly adapted to tough conditions
• Extremely drought-tolerant once established
• Long blooming season (spring through early summer)
• Thrives in heat and rocky, poor soil
• Low maintenance and deer resistant

Planting Guide

Location:

• Full sun (6-8+ hours daily) for best flowering
• Tolerates intense heat and reflected sun

Soil:

• Excellent drainage is critical—thrives in rocky, sandy, or gravelly soil
• Prefers lean, poor to average soil—no amendments needed
• Will not tolerate heavy clay or wet conditions

Planting:

• Spacing: 12-18 inches apart for individual plants; closer for mass effect
• Depth: Plant at same depth as nursery container
• Containers: Use well-draining cactus mix with ample drainage holes

Watering:

• Water regularly until established (up to 12 months)
• Once established, water deeply but infrequently (every 2-4 weeks)
• Extremely drought-tolerant—overwatering is harmful
• Minimal to no water needed in winter

Fertilizing:

• No fertilizer needed—thrives in poor soil
• Excess nutrients reduce flowering and plant vigor

Pruning & Maintenance:

• Deadhead spent flower spikes to encourage reblooming
• Cut back flowering stems after bloom to maintain tidy rosettes
• Remove any winter-damaged foliage in early spring
• Minimal care required—built for neglect!

Harvesting:

• Not applicable—ornamental plant only

Pest & Disease:

• Generally pest and disease-free
• Excellent drainage prevents root rot
• Deer and rabbit resistant

Companion Planting:

• Perfect with other native penstemons, desert marigold, and brittlebush
• Stunning with agave, yucca, and ornamental grasses
• Pairs beautifully with blue/purple salvias for color contrast
• Excellent in native plant and pollinator gardens