Penstemon Species, Littleflower Penstemon, Pincushion Penstemon, Slender Blue Beard Tongue

From E. H. Moss (1959), rev. J. G. Packer (1983), Flora of Alberta:
"Stems slender, 1.5-4 dm high, often decu...Read Morembent at base, glabrous or puberulent; basal leaves petioled, generally oblanceolate, glabrous; stem-leaves oblanceolate or lanceolate, sessile, entire; inflorescence spike-like and compact, or interrupted below; calyx 5 mm long, the lobes cuneate or obovate, abruptly cuspidate, scarious-margined and erose; corolla deep purplish-blue, rarely pinkish or white, 6-10mm long". Range: "Meadows and open woods. sYuk, BC to Sask, swMan, s to Calif, Colo".

Easy to grow in the garden here, and long-lived.

This is an attractive beard tongue for the rock garden and one that is reasonably tolerant of wet-winter areas. It survived for 4 years ...Read Morein my Newfoundland garden and I am starting it again as I really liked the intense rich, blue-violet flowers. This species can also tolerate more acidic soil than most penstemon.