Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants
Grass
Origin
Southwestern United States, California
North America, United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Mexico
Types
-
Foxtail muhly, Devils Canyon muhly, alkali muhly
Number of Varieties
402
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, meadows
High elevation, Hillside, Slopes
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-97-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12 - 7
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
-
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.00 cm45.72 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Crimson
Pink, Purple, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown, White
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Light Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Blue Green, Gray Green, Tan
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
Needs less watering, Water every 3 weeks until the root ball is wet
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Grass Cuttting and pruning up to 5cm, Prune in early spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, EDTA iron
Pests and Diseases
Insects
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Bees, Butterflies
Allergy
Asthma
Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
-
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
-
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON eatonii
MUHLENBERGIA emersleyi
Common Name
Firecracker Penstemon
Bull Grass
In Hindi
Firecracker penstemon
Bull Grass
In German
Kracher penstemon
Bull Grass
In French
Firecracker penstemon
Bull Herbe
In Spanish
Penstemon del petardo
Bull Hierba
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
Δελτίο Grass
In Portuguese
Penstemon do foguete
touro grama
In Polish
petarda penstemon
Bull Trawa
In Latin
Firecracker Persicaria
Bull Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Liliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Cyperales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Penstemon
Muhlenbergia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Eragrostideae
Subfamily
-
Chloridoideae
Number of Species
250180
1
27800
👆🏻