In the neighborhood is a collection of video and photographs gathered here in my own Southern California neighborhood. What’s happening in your neighborhood. Share some of your photos with AGN readers and myself in the comments.

In the neighborhood…Penstemon

While I was visiting a neighbor who had opened a Little Free Library (see Places LA: Little Free Library Opens in North Sherman Oaks) I noticed these lovely Penstemon lining their front walk. While I often see the wildflower version of these out in the hills, it is fairly rare to see them in a city garden — another reason they caught my eye.

In the neighborhood…Penstemon - 1

In the neighborhood…Penstemon - 7In the neighborhood…Penstemon - 6In the neighborhood…Penstemon - 5

In the neighborhood…Penstemon - 4In the neighborhood…Penstemon - 3In the neighborhood…Penstemon - 2

Penstemon

“Penstemon /ˈpɛnstɨmən/,[1] the beardtongues, is a large genus of North American and East Asian flowering plants formerly placed in theScrophulariaceae family (Cronquist system). Due to new genetic research, it has now been placed in the vastly expanded familyPlantaginaceae.

They have opposite leaves, partly tube-shaped, and two-lipped flowers and seed capsules. The most distinctive feature of the genus is the prominent staminode, an infertile stamen. The staminode takes a variety of forms in the different species; while typically a long straight filament extending to the mouth of the corolla, some are longer and extremely hairy, giving the general appearance of an open mouth with a fuzzy tongue protruding and inspiring the common name beardtongue.” — Wikipedia

More information on Penstemon:

Previously in In the neighborhood…

Read more on this topic:

  1. In the neighborhood…June 22, 2013: Daylily (Hemerocallis)
  2. In the neighborhood…Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia)
  3. In the neighborhood…Magnolia grandiflora
  4. In the neighborhood…Persimmons, pomegranates, figs and grapes
  5. In the neighborhood…Mimosa tree (Albizia julibrissin)