// SPECIES PROFILE · PERENNIAL · NATIVE

Pale penstemon

Penstemon pallidus

Pale penstemon (Penstemon pallidus) is a perennial in the — family. Native range includes AR, KS, MO. Hardy in zones 2b–9a. Blooms May–Jun.

// QUICK FACTS

Family: —
Group: perennial
Native range: Native to 28 U.S. states, including AL, AR, CT, DC, GA, IA…
USDA hardiness: Zones 2b–9a
Mature size: —
Sun: Part shade
Water: —
Bloom: May–Jun
Wildlife value: Pollinator and wildlife support
Ecological role: native species profile

Pale penstemon (Penstemon pallidus) — *Penstemon pallidus* — Pale penstemon. Photo by Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 3: 183. Courtesy of Kentucky Native Plant Society. Scanned by Omnitek Inc. via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain).

Field Notes

[ growing · ecology · siting · care ]

Pale penstemon (Penstemon pallidus) is a perennial in the — family. Native range includes AR, KS, MO. Hardy in zones 2b–9a. Blooms May–Jun.

Why it's on this list: native species profile. Native-range data from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (NPIN), cross-checked against iNaturalist observations. Part of Rooted Revival's regional native plant catalog — true natives for Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas.

Companion Planting

[ guild · polyculture · cross-layer pairings ]

In the same native range, pale penstemon pairs naturally with: Broadleaf Arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia), Blue-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium), Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis).