Penstemon Species, California Beard Tongue, California Penstemon, Pride of the Mountain

This xeric plant has been very happy in this ridge location, surrounded by rock, for almost 3 years. It gets full sun in summer with wee...Read Morekly or as-needed water. It is supposed to be a "protect from winter wet" plant, but it has sat under snow for days at a time. I think this is because it is on a ridge with natural drainage and is mostly surrounded by rock. It may help that the ground here freezes, as it is in shade in winter. (I think the winter shade also helps prevent many plants from breaking dormancy too early and protects them from spring death.)

I had another one that died elsewhere in the same rock garden. It was happy on a sunny, hot plateau in the summer, but rotted out in winter when that plateau accumulated ice.

The flowers are just charming, but the foliage, especially in winter, is spectacular! Very nice with pink granite, too.