Usually, the pentstemons are weak seeders, although they have 

 strong root systems, reproduce rather vigorously by means of root- 

 stocks, and often show a tendency to increase on overgrazed ranges. 

 An abundance of pentstemon on a range may, hence, be an indication 

 of past overgrazing. 



Many of the pentstemons are very attractive and are grown as 

 ornamentals. Among the well-known western species used in horti- 

 culture, azure pentstemon (P. azu'reus), a California species culti- 

 vated at an early date (1849), blue pentstemon, eggleaf pentstemon, 

 Palmer pentstemon, and shell-leaf pentstemon (P. grandiflo' i*us) 

 are outstanding. Many other species have been domesticated; un- 

 questionably a number of the still untamed species offer promise for 

 ornamental cultivation. 



