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Woodland sage and Palmer's penstemon: growing conditions and wildlife benefits.

COMMON CHOICE Woodland sage Salvia nemorosa	NATIVE ALTERNATIVE Palmer's penstemon Penstemon palmeri
	GO NATIVE
Native range
Europe and west-central Asia	SW. U.S.A. to New Mexico.See state guides
Sunlight
Full sun to part shade	Full sun
Soil moisture
Moist to occasionally dry; well-drained soil	Dry soil
Mature height
1½–3 ft	1½–4½ ft
Mature spread
6 in–2 ft	Spread not specified
USDA hardiness zones
4–8	Choose nursery stock suited to local winters.
Season of interest
Summer–early fall	Late spring–summer flowers
Garden & wildlife value
Flowers provide nectar for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.	Native flowering stems add variety to a low-water border.
Growing notes
A compact, clumping perennial. Cutting back spent flower spikes can encourage another flush.	Needs drainage and lean soil; avoid frequent irrigation and expect seedlings to take time to flower.
Growing information	Growing information Native range: Kew

Sizes describe the species; individual cultivars can differ.