Small Flowering Plants I-P
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Iris Douglasiana Common Name: Iris Canyon Snow
Family: Iridaceae
Type: Small plant 1.5'h x .2'w
Flowers: March to April
Flower Color: White
Likes: Part Shade
Pure, beautiful flowers. Flowers in spring, usually around Easter. Less prolific than cultivated Iris but worth waiting for. Semi-Drought tolerant. Likes some summer irrigation and can be incorporated into non-native gardens.
Iris (Pacific Coast) Common Name: Pacific Coast Hybrid Iris
Family: Iridaceae (Images)
Type: Small plant 1.5'h x .2'w
Flowers: March to April
Flower Color: Variable
Likes: Part Shade
Variable colored flowers. Flowers in spring. Hybrid of common Sierra Iris, found at mid elevations. Can use summer irrigation and be incorporated into non-native gardens. Can take some irrigation after established.
Linanthus californicus Common Name: Prickly Phlox
Family: Polemoniaceae (Images)
Type: Small plant 1'h x 2'w
Flowers: Late Spring
Flower Color: Pink/Purple
Likes: Part Sun
Coastal plant, can use some regular irrigation. Nice surprise during at the beginning of Summer when it blooms. Plant in groups for greater effect.
Lippia (repens) Phy. nodiflora Common Name: Common Lippia
Family: Verbenaceae (Images)
Type: Ground Cover 4"h
Flowers: Summer
Flower Color: Pnk/Wht Flower
Likes: Full Sun
A true grass replacement. Can take walk-on traffic. Green foliage and small attractive flowers - great for pollinators. Spreading.
Linum lewesii Common Name: Blue Flax
Family: Linaceae
Type: Small plant 2'h x 1'w
Flowers: March to June
Flower Color: Blue
Likes: Full Sun
Nice accent plant. Bright blue flowered perennial. Long blooming period and very adaptable to different conditions. Delicate narrow leaves.
Mentzelia laevicaulis Common Name: Giant Blazing Star
Family: Loasaceae (Images)
Type: Small plant 2'h x 1'w
Flowers: Late Summer
Flower Color: Yellow
Likes: Full Sun
Blooms late summer into fall. Perennial can be short lived. Star like flowers bring color late season. Avoid summer water after established
Monardella odoratissma Common Name: Mountain Coyote Mint
Family: Lamiasceae Images
Type: Small plant 1'h x 2'w
Flowers: March to July
Flower Color: White, Pink, Blue (varies)
Likes: Part Sun
Found at lower/mid elevations in the Sierra. Distincitive mint fragrance. Easy to grow. Flower color can vary. Smaller, and found at higher elevations, than M. villosa
Monardella villosa Common Name: Coyote Mint
Family: Lamiasceae
Type: Small plant 2'h x 2'w
Flowers: March to July
Flower Color: Blue
Likes: Full/Part Sun
Small gray/green shrub with light purple flowers. A subshrub in the Lamiaceae (Mint) family. Flowers in summer. Nice surprise when other natives are going dormant to have this one flower. Used as a tea by native Indians for respiratory or stomach upset. Supposed to taste like mint and has been used for sore throats. Fragrant if rubbed or disturbed.
Winter / Fall
Penstemon azurreus Common Name: Azure Penstemon
Family: Plantaginaceae
Type: Herbaceous Shrub, 1'h x 2'w
Flowers: Spring to Summer
Flower Color: Lavender, Purple
Likes: Full/Part Sun
Low growing, medium sized Penstemon. Attracts butterflies and hummindbirds. Flowers Spring well into Summer with moisture. Plant as an accent or in small groups. May need late summer pruning after a few years. Somewhat drought tolerant. Tolerates some summer irrigation after established.
Penstemon deustus Common Name: Hot Rock Penstemon
Family: Plantaginaceae, Images
Type: Herbaceous Shrub, 1'h x 2'w
Flowers: May to June
Flower Color: Cream
Likes: Full Sun
Small Penstemon that is native to mid-elevations of Northern CA and the NW US. Cream colored flowers nice addition to the other Penstemons. Attracts hummingbirds. Spring flowering.
Penstemon centranthifolius Common Name: Scarlet Bugler
Family: Plantaginaceae, Images
Type: Herbaceous Shrub, .5'h x 1.5'w
Flowers: May to June
Flower Color: Red
Likes: Full Sun
Perennial. Nice red/orange flowers. Easy to grow compact plant. One of the smaller Penstemons that flower spring to summer.
Penstemon eatonii Common Name: Firecracker Penstemon
Family: Plantaginaceae
Type: Herbaceous Shrub, 1'h x 1'w
Flowers: Spring
Flower Color: Orange/Red
Likes: Full Sun
Low growing Penstemon. Nice red/orange flowers. Native to Southern Rockies. In California found in Mono County. Can use some summer irrigation. Nice perennial for accent or mass plantings. Attracts hummingbirds. Can take some summer water after established.
Penstemon heterophyllus Common Name: Foothill penstemon
Family: Plantaginaceae
Type: Herbaceous Shrub, 1.5'h x 2'w
Flowers: Spring to Summer
Flower Color: Blue, Purple
Likes: Full Sun
Perennial. A favorite and easy to grow. Nice, long flowering period. Compact plant. Versatile and attractive. Can take garden water in a non-native landscape. Great planted in mass or in a rock garden.
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Penstemon pseudospectabilis Common Name: Desert Penstemon
Family: Plantaginaceae
Type: Herbaceous Shrub, 2'h x 1'w
Flowers: Spring to Summer
Flower Color: Purple
Likes: Full Sun
Perennial. Smaller Penstemon. Very adaptable. Native to Southwestern deserts.
Good as a single and grouped. Very drought tolerant. Needs good drainage.
Penstemon rydbergii Common Name: Meadow Penstemon
Family: Plantaginaceae Images
Type: Herbaceous Shrub, 2'h x 3'w
Flowers: Spring to Summer
Flower Color: Purple
Likes: Full Sun
Penstemon common throughout the Sierras. Typically at mid elevations. Very nice showy flowers in summer at high elevations - earlier at low elevations. Benefits from added water. Common to wet areas but also to high elevation rocky slopes. Needs shade in the valley.foothills.