Bearded penstemon (Penstemon barbatus ‘Elfin Pink’)

Features and Characteristics

Penstemon barbatus, commonly called southwestern penstemon, is native to rocky slopes and open woodlands from Utah and Colorado to Arizona, Texas and Mexico. It is a clump-forming perennial that typically grows 5-3’ tall. Loose terminal racemes of reddish-orange, two-lipped, tubular flowers (to 2” long) atop erect, rigid stems bloom from late spring well into summer. Clasping, narrow, lance-shaped to linear, willow-like, medium green stem leaves (2-6” long). Oblong to ovate basal foliage generally retains some green color over winter.

Genus name comes from the Greek words penta meaning five and stemon meaning stamen in reference to each flower having five stamens (four are fertile and one is sterile).

Specific epithet means bearded or with long weak hairs.

Penstemons are sometimes commonly called beard tongues because the sterile stamen has a tuft of small hairs.

‘Elfin Pink’ is a small, clump-forming perennial which typically grows only 9-12″ tall. Features pink, two-lipped, tubular flowers borne in well-spaced, terminal spikes atop erect, rigid stems. Flowers bloom mid-spring to early summer.