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Deep blue-purple
Perennial wildflower

Rocky Mountain Penstemon

Penstemon strictus

Spires of glossy blue tubes built for bumblebees, and one of the easiest western penstemons to grow.

the Mountain Westthe Great Basinthe desert Southwest

Growing Rocky Mountain Penstemon

Reliable and long-lived where most penstemons are fussy, as long as drainage is sharp. A staple of the high-desert and mountain garden. It’s deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, showy, and easy to grow.

Where it grows

Rocky Mountain Penstemon is native to the Mountain West. In the wild you’ll find it across Arizona · California · Colorado · Idaho · Montana · Nevada · New Mexico · Oregon · Texas · Utah and 2 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.

Regional Garden shows Rocky Mountain Penstemon on 12 state pages.

Good for

PollinatorsFor beesHummingbirdsDeer-resistantFull sunDrought-tolerant
Sourcing

Where to buy Rocky Mountain Penstemon

Seeds & live plants on Amazon

Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.

Browse on Amazon

Some links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.

Plant it with

Companions & kin.

Natives that share Rocky Mountain Penstemon’s range and conditions.

Perennial wildflower

Prairie Smoke

Geum triflorum

Nodding pink spring bells that turn into smoky, feathered seed plumes — the show after the flower.

  • Full–part sun
  • Dry
  • 6–16 in
  • Blooms Apr–May
Perennial wildflower

Western Columbine

Aquilegia formosa

The West's nodding red-and-gold columbine, the first big hummingbird draw of the mountain spring.

  • Part shade
  • Average
  • 1.5–3 ft
  • Blooms Apr–Jul
Perennial wildflower

Common Yarrow

Achillea millefolium

A near-continental native with flat flower heads that feed tiny beneficial insects, tough as a weed.

  • Full sun
  • Dry–average
  • 1.5–3 ft
  • Blooms May–Aug