Plant Data Sheet
Menzies' penstemon,
Penstemon davidsonii var. menziesii
Range :
Olympic and North
Climate, elevation:
Middle to high elevations.
Local occurrence
Frequent on cliffs and talus slopes usually
above 5000’.
Habitat preferences
Talus slopes. Full sun.
Plant strategy type/successional
P. Davidsonii var
menziesii is a colonizer as it prefers rocky slopes
and cracks with poor soil where few other plants could establish themselves.
Associated species
Aquilegia spp, Cassiope mertensiana, Poa
arctica, Vahlodea atropurpurea, Carex nardina, Plox spp, Erigeron humilis.
May be collected as:
seed
Collection restrictions or
guidelines
Careful! Alpine plants can be delicate!
Seed germination (needs
dormancy breaking?)
Unknown
Seed life (can be stored,
short shelf-life, long shelf-life)
Unknown
Recommended seed storage
conditions
Unknown
Propagation recommendations
(plant seeds, vegetative parts, cuttings, etc.)
Propagates
easily from seed.
Soil or
medium requirements (inoculum necessary?)
Needs a sandy, acidic, well drained soil.
Installation form (form,
potential for successful outcomes, cost)
Best if used in a rock garden with other alpine flowering plants. While propagation from seed would be cheaper, the success of transplanting a 1gallon specimen would be better.
1 gallon - $6.99
Seed Packets $3 from
http://www.hillkeep.ca/2001_seed_list.htm
Recommended planting density
No more than 16 inches, in perfect conditions P. davidsonii only will reach about a 1 ft diameter.
Care requirements after
installed
Water weekly, keep pH low.
Normal rate of growth or
spread; lifespan
Very slow growing.
Sources cited
- http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/plant_profile.cgi?symbol=PEDAD
- http://www.wnps.org/plants/penstemon_davidsonii_var_menziesii.html
- http://www.nargs.org/potm/potm_jan03.html
- Hitchcock,
C. Leo; Cronquist, Arthur. Flora of the
- MacKinnon, Andy; Pojar,
Jim. Plants of the
Data compiled by Christer Lundstrom