Keckiella

keckiella

( kek - ee - ELL - ah )

At-A-Glance Information

Keckiella is a genus of evergreen or deciduous flowering shrubs commonly called Beardtongues or Penstemons that need little to regular water and attract hummingbirds to the garden with their colorful, tubular blooms. They tend to be woody and are native to dry, sloped coastal areas of southern California. They are extremely drought-tolerant and need excellent drainage to perform well in the landscape. Keckiella flowers bloom heavily as temperatures rise into the summer months and are likely to drop most of their leaves.

keckiella Species and Varietals

The genus Keckiella is a member of the Plantain plant family (Plantaginaceae) and includes 7 species. Plants in this genus are closely related to those in Penstemon and Collinsia. The genus was named for botanist David D. Keck. The best growing zones for Keckiella shrubs are USDA hardiness zones 6a-11 or Sunset growing zones 7-9 and 12-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Keckiella antirrhinoides (Penstemon antirrhinoides)(Snapdragon Penstemon, Yellow Bush Snapdragon, Chaparral Beardtongue)
This shrub reaches up to about 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide at maturity, but can spread a little further. Produces an abundant show of fragrant yellow flowers that bloom in late spring and summer. Needs full sun.

Keckiella breviflora (Penstemon breviflorus) (Bush Beardtongue, Gaping Penstemon, Gaping Keckiella, Small-Flowered Penstemon)
This species of Beardtongue is native to California and Nevada, and form branching, bushy shrubs with many thin stems. They can reach about 6.6 feet tall when mature. Flowers are white and have reddish markings on their lower lips.

Keckiella cordifolia (Penstemon cordifolius) (Climbing Penstemon, Heart-Leaf Keckiella, Heart-Leaved Penstemon)
This vining shrub gets up to about 5 feet tall and wide. Dark green leaves contrast against red unscented flowers in late spring and early summer. This species is native to California and Baja California. Also available in a yellow-flowered variety. Needs full sun or partial shade to perform well.

Keckiella corymbosa (Penstemon corymbosus) (Redwood Keckiella, Red Beardtongue, Red Shrubby Penstemon)
This species is endemic to California and forms a narrow, erect plant reaching up to 1.5 feet tall at maturity. It produces deep red to bright orange or deep pink flowers.

Keckiella lemmonii (Penstemon lemmonii) (Lemmon's Keckiella, Bush Beardtongue, Lemmon's Keckiella, Shrubby Penstemon)
This species is native to Oregon and California, and grows in chaparral and forested landscapes. It forms a small shrub with mostly unbranched stems to 5 feet tall, and produces lemon-yellow to mauve tubular flowers with wide mouths and reddish markings on their interiors.

Keckiella rothrockii (Rothrock's Keckiella, Rothrock's Penstemon, Rothrocks Bush-Beardtongue)
These plants are native to California and Nevada, and grow in sagebrush and woodland landscapes. They can reach up to 1.5 feet tall and produce green foliage and brownish-yellow to cream flowers with reddish markings on their throats.

Keckiella ternata (Scarlet Keckiella, Blue-Stemmed Keckiella, Bush Penstemon, Wand Penstemon)
Native to mountainous regions in southern California and Baja California, Mexico, these plants exceed 6.5 feet tall when mature, and produce very bright orange to reddish flowers.

Caring for keckiella

Plant Keckiella in a space in the landscape that receives full sun to partial shade; ideally, they appreciate between 6 and 8 hours of sun each day for the best blooms. Ensure that soil is well-draining, rich in nutrients, and has a pH of between 5.0 and 8.0 (acidic to slightly alkaline). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Apply a layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system in their new home. At maturity, Keckiella plants are considered drought tolerant, and can get by on rainwater alone for much of the year. Provide deep waterings during extended periods of drought.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. Pruning is simple; remove any damaged, diseased, or dead foliage at any time during the growing season. These plants will go dormant in wintertime, and before spring growth begins the following year, can be cut back to about 6 inches tall for a flush of new growth. Keckiella can survive in the garden for between 5 and 20 years before needing to be replaced.

Propagation

Keckiella can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Keckiella by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Keckiella by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seed pods on these plants are pretty easy to spot, they're large and dangle from the branches, left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.