Rocky Mountain penstemon
Penstemon strictus
Blue-purple spikes for dry, lean soil.
Hardiness: zones 4 to 8
Light: full sun
Size: about 2.5 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide
From: Rocky Mountains
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: pollinators.
Native to: Rockies & Great Basin, Desert Southwest. Hardy in zones 4 to 8.
The story
Rocky Mountain penstemon carpets roadsides in Colorado and Utah in royal blue. There are about 250 kinds of penstemon and nearly all of them are North American, most from the dry West.
Planting
Full sun and lean, gritty, well-drained soil. Gravel mulch suits it better than bark.
Growing
Water to establish, then sparingly. No fertilizer.
Harvest and use
June spikes for bumblebees, native wasps and hummingbirds, on a plant that needs almost no water.
What to watch for
Rich soil and overwatering shorten its life.
See if Rocky Mountain penstemon fits your yard
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More native and wild plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home