Crider Beardtongue: A Rare Arizona Native Worth Knowing About
If you’ve stumbled across the name Crider beardtongue (Penstemon ×crideri) in your native plant research, you’ve discovered one of the more mysterious members of the beloved beardtongue family. This Arizona native represents a fascinating piece of the Southwest’s botanical puzzle, though information about this particular species remains frustratingly scarce.
What Makes Crider Beardtongue Special
Crider beardtongue is a perennial forb native to Arizona, making it a true child of the desert Southwest. The × in its scientific name tells us this is a hybrid species, which explains why detailed information about its characteristics can be so elusive. Like other members of the Penstemon family, it’s a non-woody plant that returns year after year, storing its energy in underground structures during harsh conditions.
Where You’ll Find It Growing Wild
This native beauty calls Arizona home, though its exact distribution within the state remains poorly documented. Arizona’s diverse landscapes—from low desert to high country—offer numerous ecological niches where different Penstemon species thrive.
The Challenge for Home Gardeners
Here’s where things get tricky for enthusiastic native plant gardeners: Penstemon ×crideri appears to be extremely rare in cultivation, if available at all. The limited documentation about its growing requirements, appearance, and garden performance makes it a challenging choice for most home landscapes.
What This Means for Your Garden
While we’d love to give you detailed growing instructions for Crider beardtongue, the reality is that this particular species may not be practical for most gardeners. However, this doesn’t mean you have to give up on the magic of beardtongues in your landscape!
Better Alternatives for Arizona Gardeners
Instead of searching for the elusive Crider beardtongue, consider these well-documented Arizona native Penstemon species that will give you similar benefits with much more reliable growing information:
- Desert Beardtongue (Penstemon pseudospectabilis) – stunning pink blooms
- Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatonii) – brilliant red flowers beloved by hummingbirds
- Parry’s Beardtongue (Penstemon parryi) – tall spikes of pink flowers
- Palmer’s Penstemon (Penstemon palmeri) – fragrant white to pink blooms
The Bigger Picture
Penstemon ×crideri serves as a reminder that our native flora still holds mysteries waiting to be fully understood. While this particular species may not be destined for your garden bed, its existence highlights the incredible diversity within the Penstemon genus and the importance of protecting Arizona’s native plant communities.
Moving Forward
If you’re determined to grow native beardtongues in your Arizona landscape, focus on the species with proven garden performance and readily available plants or seeds. You’ll still be supporting local ecosystems and pollinators while working with plants that have established growing guidelines and nursery availability.
Remember, sometimes the most responsible choice as a native plant gardener is recognizing when a species is better left in its natural habitat, especially when so many other spectacular options are available for cultivation.
