Penstemon parryi
Encyclopedia
Parry's Penstemon also called Parry's beardtongue or Desert Penstemon, is a wildflower native to Southern Arizona
and northern Mexico
. It is a perennial
that blooms in March and April. The plants flower in their second year.
At the base of the plant are lanceolate leaves that grow in a rosette
pattern. From the base emerge the flower stalks, which are 2 to 5 feet high and topped with numerous deep-throated flowers, pink to red in color.
Parry's penstemon is a desert plant. It thrives in full sun. Though drought-tolerant, penstemon can be damaged by several years of drought in a row. It attracts hummingbirds. That plus the unusual splash of red it provides (in an area where wildflowers tend to be yellow or blue) make it a favorite xeriscape flower.
Parry’s Penstemon was named for Charles C. Parry, who served as surgeon-naturalist on the Mexican Boundary Survey
in the mid 19th century..
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and northern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. It is a perennial
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
that blooms in March and April. The plants flower in their second year.
At the base of the plant are lanceolate leaves that grow in a rosette
Rosette (botany)
In botany, a rosette is a circular arrangement of leaves, with all the leaves at a single height.Though rosettes usually sit near the soil, their structure is an example of a modified stem.-Function:...
pattern. From the base emerge the flower stalks, which are 2 to 5 feet high and topped with numerous deep-throated flowers, pink to red in color.
Parry's penstemon is a desert plant. It thrives in full sun. Though drought-tolerant, penstemon can be damaged by several years of drought in a row. It attracts hummingbirds. That plus the unusual splash of red it provides (in an area where wildflowers tend to be yellow or blue) make it a favorite xeriscape flower.
Parry’s Penstemon was named for Charles C. Parry, who served as surgeon-naturalist on the Mexican Boundary Survey
United States and Mexican Boundary Survey
The United States and Mexican Boundary Survey set the boundary between the United States and Mexico according to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that ended the Mexican-American War. The results of the survey were published in a three-volume work, Report on the United States and Mexican boundary...
in the mid 19th century..