Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Ornamental Grasses and Bamboo
Flowering Plants
Origin
Southern Europe, Western Europe, Mediterranean
Southwestern United States, California
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
1040
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Dry areas, Dry Forest, Rocky areas
Dry areas, meadows
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-94-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
9-1
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.00 cm61.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.96 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Blue Green
Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Blue Green, Silver, Gray
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Blue Green, Silver, Gray
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Blue Green, Tan, Silver, Gray
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Oblong
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, occasional watering once established, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Insects
Plant Tolerance
Salt
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds
Allergy
Asthma, Itchiness, Rash, Rhinitis
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Ground Cover
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
Part of Plant Used
Stem
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edging, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
HELICTOTRICHON sempervirens
PENSTEMON eatonii
Common Name
Blue Oat Grass
Firecracker Penstemon
In Hindi
ब्लू जई घास
Firecracker penstemon
In German
Blau Ährengras
Kracher penstemon
In French
Bleu Oat Grass
Firecracker penstemon
In Spanish
Azul hierba de avena
Penstemon del petardo
In Greek
Μπλε βρώμης Grass
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
In Portuguese
Azul Aveia
Penstemon do foguete
In Polish
Niebieski Owies trawa
petarda penstemon
In Latin
Blue Oat Grass
Firecracker Persicaria
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Liliopsida
-
Order
Poales
Lamiales
Family
Poaceae
Scrophulariaceae
Genus
Helictotrichon
Penstemon
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Aveneae
-
Subfamily
Pooideae
-
Number of Species
70250
1
27800
👆🏻