Penstemon

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Penstemons

Known for their showy flowers, Penstemons from arid habitats are frequently

used in sunny, low water gardens and native gardens.

Many will happily adapt to a wide range of garden conditions.

Penstemon abietinus

Firleaf Penstemon

Decumbent stems with narrow, linear fir-like leaves and upright blue flower spikes. 6 x 20” Sun, very well-drained soil, low water. Hardy to –30 degrees F. Sevier County, UT Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon barbatus 'Rondo’

Penstemon barbatus praecox nanus 'Rondo' ©

Penstemon barbatus ‘Rondo'

wide range of colors

This is a handsome plant with shiny dark green leaves and spikes of tubular flowers in summer. 16” x 16". Deadhead for a second bloom. Has been easy to grow in our garden when given full sun and well-drained soil. Hardy to –30 degrees F. The species is native to the Southwestern US. Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon barbatus 'Coccineus’

Penstemon barbatus 'Coccineus' in garden

©This tall, freely blooming Penstemon attracts many hummingbirds to our garden

Another Hummingbird Favorite

Tall spikes to 3' of rather elegant tubular red flowers. The flower stalks remain upright when grown in full sun and bloom over a long period in summer. Grow in full sun in well-drained soil. Hardy to –30 degrees F. The species is native to the Southwestern US. Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon caespitosus var caespitosus

Penstemon caespitosus var caespitosus flower ©

Penstemon caespitosus v caespitosus creeping in pot ©Penstemon caespitosus var caespitosus in container

Mat Penstemon

Creeping mats of tiny leaves with small, blue, white-throated flowers tucked among the foliage in spring. 4 x 12”+ Sun to part shade, very well-drained soil, low to moderate water. –30 degrees F. Scrophulariaceae

Grown from seed collected at 9,000 ft in Grand County, Colorado.

Penstemon canescens

©Penstemon canescens

Eastern Gray Penstemon

Upright perennial with spikes of narrow, purplish pink tubular flowers 12-24” tall. Sun to part shade, well-drained soil. Hardy to -20 degrees F. Eastern US. Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon cobaea

Penstemon cobaea, Showy Beardtongue © Penstemon cobaea

Penstemon cobaea flower © Penstemon cobaea

It is easy to see why the common name for this penstemon is

Showy Beardtongue!

Very large flowers that range from white to deep purple on stalks 12-24” high. Grow in sun to part shade, well-drained soil, low water. Hardy to -20 degrees F. May go into dormancy during the summer months. Native to Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas and has naturalized in other states. Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon cyananthus

Penstemon cyananthus close-up ©Penstemon cyananthus Pentemon cyanthanthus ©

Wasatch Penstemon

Rich blue flowers on spikes from 1-3' above mat of green basal leaves. Sun to part shade, well-drained soil. Hardy to -20 degrees F. Northern Rocky Mountains. Scrophulariaceae

Grown from seeds collected in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. A real beauty.

Penstemon eatonii

Penstemon eatonii in our garden

Firecracker Penstemon

Penstemon eatonii flowers close-up

Firecracker Penstemon

Southwest native to 20” with lance shaped green leaves and scarlet flowers May-July. Full sun, very gritty, well-drained soil, low water. Can be short-lived but reseeds under favorable conditions. Hardy to –30 degrees F. Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon eriantherus (Dwarf Form)

Fuzzytongue Penstemon

Small tufts of gray-green foliage and lilac flower spikes less than 3” tall. Sun, very well-drained soil, low water. –400 F. WY Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon eriantherus var redactus

Longsac Penstemon

Showy pale lavender flowers on dwarf plants with gray-green leaves. 16 x 12” Sun, deep, gritty soil, low water. –30 degrees F. ID Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon glaber var alpinus

Penstemon glaber var alpinus

Penstemon glaber v alpinus flowers ©

Penstemon glaber var alpinus

Alpine Sawsepal Penstemon

Low mat of green leaves, stems to 18” high with light blue, tubular flowers in summer. Full sun, well-drained soil. Rockies Hardy to -30 degrees F. Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon heterophyllus ‘ Blue Springs'

Penstemon heterophyllus

"Blue Springs'

Foothill Penstemon

Evergreen upright with glossy foliage and azure-blue, tubular flowers in summer. 18” x 24” Full sun, well-drained soil, low water. Hardy to 0 degrees F. CA native. Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon hirsutus ‘ Pygmaeus’

Penstemon hirsutus 'Pygmaeus' flower

Dwarf ,shrubby evergreen with prostrate foliage and lavender and white flowers in summer. 6” x 10” Sun to part shade, well-drained soil, mod water. Hardy to -30 degrees F. Eastern US native. Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon linariodes ssp coloradoensis

Penstemon linariodes ssp coloradoensis

Penstemon linarioides ssp coloradoensis ©

Bluemat Penstemon

Dwarf ,shrubby evergreen with silver, needlelike foliage and many lavender flowers in summer. 12” x 12” A drought tolerant perennial that grows best in full sun in well-drained soil. Zones 4-10. Native to the Rocky Mountains. Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon linariodes ssp compactifolius

©©

Toadflax Beardtongue

A rich flowering plant with blue to lavender flowers similar to spp coloradoensis (above) but with even more compact foliage. Grown from wild seed collected in Coconino County, AZ

Penstemon pinifolius

Hummingbird at Penstemon pinifolius

©Attracts Hummingbirds!

Penstemon pinifolius in rock garden

Penstemon pinifolius

Pineneedle Beardtongue

Penstemon pinifolius 'Mersea Yellow'

Penstemon pinifolius 'Mersea Yellow' in dry garden

Pine Needle Penstemon

Easy to grow evergreen subshrub 10-18” x 24” with needle-like leaves and brilliant orange-red flowers June-Sept. Grow in full sun in well-drained soil with low to moderate water. Use this versatile plant in border, rock garden or low water garden. SW Native. Hardy to 10 degrees F. Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon pinifolius 'Mersea Yellow' has finer foliage, a more compact form and yellow flowers.

Penstemon purpusii

Penstemon purpusii color variations

Penstemon purpusii close-up

Snow Mountain Penstemon

Low growing mat to 12” across with-gray leaves and purple flowers in early summer. Full to part sun, very well-drained soil, low water. –10 degrees F. Native to NW California. Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon smallii

Penstemon smallii in garden

Small's Penstemon

Showy lilac flowers with white throats on bushy plant 12-24” tall. Sun to part shade, well-drained soil, low to moderate water. SE native. Hardy to -10 degrees F. SE US Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon strictus

Rocky Mountain Penstemon

Upright perennial with dark green basal leaves and 18” spikes of blue-violet flowers in summer. This is a robust long bloomer in our dry garden. Grow in sun to part shade, very well-drained soil. Hardy to -30 degrees F. Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon virgatus 'Blue Buckle'

Penstemon virgatus 'Blue Buckle' in dry garden

Stiff Penstemon

Compact, stalks of tightly packed blue-purple tubular flowers above mats of glossy dark green foliage. 12” x 16” Full sun, well-drained soil. Hardy to -20 degrees F. Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon whippleanus

Whipple's Penstemon

Whipple’s Penstemon

Evergreen foliage and rich, wine to chocolate-colored, tubular flowers. 24”x12” Full to part sun, well-drained soil. Interior Western US mountain native. Hardy to -30 degrees F. Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon whippleanus (Dark Flower Population)

Whipple's Penstemon

Whipple’s Penstemon

This is a dark flower population from Mineral County, Colorado described by the seed collector Alan Bradshaw of Alplains as having "very dark purple to black flowers". It glows with red tones in the sun and appears very dark in low light and shade. The foliage is a very bright green. 30 x 20" Full to part sun, well-drained soil. Hardy to -40 degrees F. Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon x mexicali ‘Sunburst Amethyst’

Penstemon x mexicali 'Sunburst Amethyst'

Upright perennial with abundant purple tubular flowers in summer. Performs well in our mixed perennial garden in ordinary garden soil. 18” x 18” Sun to part shade, well-drained soil. Hardy to -10 degrees F. Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon x mexicali ‘Sunburst Ruby’

Upright perennial with glossy foliage and abundant ruby-red tubular flowers in summer. Performs well in our mixed perennial garden in ordinary garden soil. 18” x 18” Sun to part shade, well-drained soil. Hardy to -10 degrees F. Scrophulariaceae