Life Span
Perennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Tree
  
Flowering Plants
  
Origin
North America, United States, Southwestern United States, California, Mexico
  
Southwestern United States, California
  
Types
Lebombo ironwood, Giant ironwood
  
Not Available
  
Habitat
Desert, Dry areas
  
Dry areas, meadows
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-12
  
4-9
  
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
  
9-1
  
Sunset Zone
8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
  
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
  
Habit
Spreading
  
Clump-Forming
  
Plant Size
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
White, Light Pink, Lavender
  
Crimson
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Chocolate, Black
  
Not Available
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Gray Green
  
Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Gray Green, Gray
  
Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Gray Green, Gray
  
Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Gray Green, Gray
  
Not Available
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Small oblong
  
Oblong
  
Thorns
Yes
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Summer
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Growth Rate
Slow
  
Fast
  
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
  
Loam, Sand
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Neutral, Alkaline
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Late Spring
  
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
No
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Not Available
  
Where to Plant?
Ground
  
Ground
  
How to Plant?
Transplanting
  
Seedlings, Stem Planting
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water
  
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Neutral, Alkaline
  
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
  
Loam, Sand
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Pruning
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
Drought
  
Drought
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
No
  
No
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
Yes
  
No
  
Showy Bark
Yes
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Fine
  
Medium
  
Foliage Sheen
Matte
  
Matte
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
No
  
No
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
No
  
Attracts
Butterflies
  
Hummingbirds
  
Allergy
Not Available
  
Asthma
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
  
Showy Purposes
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
No
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Not Available
  
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
  
Part of Plant Used
Seeds, Stem
  
Whole plant
  
Other Uses
Carvings, Knife handles
  
Used as Ornamental plant
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Rock Garden / Wall, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees
  
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
  
Botanical Name
OLNEYA tesota
  
PENSTEMON eatonii
  
Common Name
Ironwood
  
Firecracker Penstemon
  
In Hindi
रेगिस्तान आइरनवुड
  
Firecracker penstemon
  
In German
Wüsteneisenholz
  
Kracher penstemon
  
In French
désert Ironwood
  
Firecracker penstemon
  
In Spanish
Ironwood desierto
  
Penstemon del petardo
  
In Greek
Ironwood έρημο
  
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
  
In Portuguese
deserto Ironwood
  
Penstemon do foguete
  
In Polish
pustynia Ironwood
  
petarda penstemon
  
In Latin
desert ironwood
  
Firecracker Persicaria
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Not Available
  
Class
Magnoliopsida
  
Not Available
  
Order
Fabales
  
Lamiales
  
Family
Fabaceae
  
Scrophulariaceae
  
Genus
Olneya
  
Penstemon
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
  
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Robinieae
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Faboideae
  
Not Available
  
Number of Species
Not Available
  
Not Available