Carried by 7 nurseries
View Availability at NurseryData provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria
View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora
Keckiella breviflora (formerly Penstemon breviflorus) is a species of flowering shrub in the Plantagnaceae (Plantain) family known by the common name Gaping Keckiella. It is native to many of the mountain ranges and foothills of central California, and its range extends just into Nevada. This is a branching, bushy shrub with many thin stems, approaching a maximum height near two meters. Its shiny green leaves are arranged oppositely on the branches, and each is one to four centimeters long, generally lance-shaped and finely serrated or smooth along the edges. The shrub produces tall flower clusters which are loose, hairy spikes of flowers. Each flower is one to two centimeters wide with five pale pink or pinkish-streaked white lobes whose external surfaces have long, shiny hairs. The three lower lobes curl outward from the mouth and under, and the two upper lobes are joined into a lip that curves forward over the mouth. Within the mouth are long stamen filaments bearing anthers, and a flat, hairless, sterile stamen called a staminode.
Shrub
4 - 7 ft Tall
7 ft Wide
Cream, Pink
Spring, Summer
Deer resistant
Full Sun, Partial Shade
Low, Very Low
Max 1x / week once established
Tolerates cold to -10° F
Fast
Tolerates a variety of soils as long as adequate drainage is provided.
Soil PH: 5.3 - 6.9
For propagating by seed: No treatment.
Rocky slopes of the Coast Ranges and Sierras up to 7, 000 ft.
Chaparral, Foothill Woodland, Lodgepole Forest, Red Fir Forest, Subalpine Forest, Valley Grassland, Yellow Pine Forest
Use with other shrubs of the mountains such as Manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.), Oregon Grape (Berberis aquifolium), Spice Bush (Calycanthus occidentalis), Ceanothus spp., Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus betuloides or ledifolius), Dogwood (Cornus spp.), California Flannelbush (Fremontodendron californicum), Silk Tassel Bush (Garrya flavescens or fremontii), Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), and Currant/Gooseberry (Ribes spp.)
Butterflies and moths supported
0 confirmed and 19 likely
Geranium Plume Moth
Amblyptilia pica
Verbena Bud Moth
Endothenia hebesana
Anicia Checkerspot
Euphydryas anicia