Soon the Summer Sun

Penstemons are some of my favorite flowers. We have planted these low-water-use species to add color and augment the native landscaping in our yard. The hundreds of Penstemon flower species throughout North America provide valuable nectar for many insects and hummingbirds. They are also important host plants for bumblebees which are in decline.

Penstemon species native to Arizona are not endangered, but reducing non-native plants in favor of native species helps preserve local biodiversity in our urban landscapes. Limiting water use for landscaping (which can be as much as 70 percent of residential use in Arizona) also reduces our dependence on rapidly shrinking groundwater sources.