Is Palmer's Penstemon deer resistant?
Penstemon palmeri
Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
Not listed by Rutgers NJAES. Rated deer-resistant by El Paso County CSU Extension, whose list is a single category, mapped conservatively to Seldom Severely Damaged.
About Palmer's Penstemon
Scent is the unusual thing here. Most penstemons have none; this one carries pale flowers, white through lavender-pink, on stems to five feet above fleshy blue-green leaves, and moths work it at dusk. Deer tend to leave it alone. It belongs in a wash, not a border. The wild plant grows in rocky desert country where the moisture sits below the surface, and watering shortens an already short life - fusarium wilt is the usual killer, and it is almost only a problem under irrigation. Infertile, disturbed ground that defeats most things suits it exactly. One caveat on the deer question. 'Cedar', the Utah selection reckoned at five to seven years, is one of only two released penstemons credited with any forage value, and winter forage was among its intended uses. Treat the species as short-lived, let it seed itself about, and do not lean on it where browsing pressure is heavy.
Similar to Palmer's Penstemon
Other perennials with the same deer rating.
- African LilyAgapanthus sp.Zones 8–11, genus rangeSeldom damaged
- AsparagusAsparagus officinalisZones 2–9Seldom damaged
- AsterAster sp.Zones 3–8, genus rangeSeldom damaged
- AstilbeAstilbe x arendsiiZones 3–8Seldom damaged
- Baby's BreathGypsophila sp.Zones 3–9, genus rangeSeldom damaged
- BastardsageEriogonum wrightiiZones 5–10Seldom damaged
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Common questions about Palmer's Penstemon
- Is Palmer's Penstemon deer resistant?
- Palmer's Penstemon (Penstemon palmeri) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
- Does Palmer's Penstemon grow in shade?
- No. Palmer's Penstemon wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- How big does Palmer's Penstemon get?
- Mature height is roughly 60–60 in. Growth rate is moderate.