Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Penstemon thompsoniae is a species of penstemon known by the common name Thompson's beardtongue. It is native to the southwestern United States where it grows in woodlands and other desert and plateau habitat, to the subalpine climate of local mountains. It is a mat-forming perennial herb, ashy gray-green with a thick coating of hairs, growing no more than 15 centimeters tall from a woody base. The oval or spoon-shaped leaves are up to 2 centimeters long. The short flower cluster bears wide-mouthed tubular purple flowers up to 2 centimeters in length. They are hairy on the outer surface and somewhat hairy on the inner, the staminode coated in long orange hairs. Of the two subspecies of this plant, only ssp. thompsoniae occurs throughout the species' range. Jaeger's beardtongue, ssp. jaegeri, is endemic to southern Nevada.

Plant type

Perennial herb

Size

2 - 6 in Tall

Calscape icon
Color

Purple, Pink

Flowering season

Spring

Special uses

Containers

Sun

Full Sun, Partial Shade

Site type

White calcareous soils

Plant communities

Pinyon-Juniper Woodland

Hummingbirds
Birds
Bees
Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 2 likely

Confirmed Likely

Archirhoe neomexicana

Variable Checkerspot

Euphydryas chalcedona