Penstemon
Penstemon is a large genus of North American (and east Asian) plants of the Scrophulariaceae family, with opposing leaves, two-lipped flowers and seed capsules. They are also called beardtongues, after the general appearance of an open mouth with a fuzzy tongue protruding.
Nowadays the one Asiatic species is considered a separate genus. This leaves Penstemon a mostly Nearctic genus, with a few Neotropical specimens. Penstemons are ideal for xeriscape landscaping, as many thrive in desert regions.
Common species
All species
- Penstemon abietinus Pennell firleaf beardtongue
- Penstemon absarokensis Evert Absaroka Range beardtongue
- Penstemon acaulis L.O. Williams stemless beardtongue
- Penstemon acuminatus Dougl. ex Lindl. sharpleaf penstemon
- Penstemon alamosensis Pennell & Nisbet Los Alamos beardtongue
- Penstemon albertinus Greene Alberta beardtongue
- Penstemon albidus Nutt. white penstemon
- Penstemon albomarginalis M. E. Jones
- Penstemon albomarginatus M.E. Jones white margin penstemon, whitemargin beardtongue, whitemargin penstemon
- Penstemon alluviorum Pennell lowland beardtongue
- Penstemon ambiguus Torr. bush penstemon, gilia beardtongue, gilia penstemon
- Penstemon ammophilus N. Holmgren & L. Shultz sandloving penstemon
- Penstemon anguineus Eastw. Siskiyou beardtongue
- Penstemon angustifolius Nutt. ex Pursh broad-beard beardtongue, broadbeard beardtongue, narrowleaf penstemon
- Penstemon arenarius Greene Nevada sanddune beardtongue, sanddune penstemon
- Penstemon arenicola A. Nels. sand penstemon
- Penstemon aridus Rydb. stiffleaf penstemon
- Penstemon arkansanus Pennell Arkansas beardtongue
- Penstemon attenuatus Dougl. ex Lindl. sulphur penstemon
- Penstemon atwoodii Welsh Kaiparowits beardtongue
- Penstemon auriberbis Pennell Colorado beardtongue
- Penstemon australis Small Eustis Lake beardtongue
- Penstemon azureus Benth. azure penstemon
- Penstemon baccharifolius Hook. baccharisleaf beardtongue
- Penstemon barbatus (Cav.) Roth beardlip penstemon
- Penstemon barnebyi N. Holmgren Barneby's penstemon, White River Valley beardtongue
- Penstemon barrettiae Gray Barrett's beardtongue
- Penstemon bicolor (Brandeg.) Clokey & Keck pinto beardtongue, pinto penstemon
- Penstemon bracteatus Keck Red Canyon beardtongue
- Penstemon breviculus (Keck) Nisbet & R.C. Jackson shortstem beardtongue, shortstem penstemon
- Penstemon bryantiae Keck Bryant's beardtongue
- Penstemon buckleyi Pennell buckley penstemon, Buckley's beardtongue
- Penstemon caesius Gray San Bernardino beardtongue
- Penstemon caespitosus Nutt. ex Gray mat penstemon
- Penstemon calcareus Brandeg. limestone beardtongue
- Penstemon californicus (Munz & Johnston) Keck California penstemon
- Penstemon calycosus Small longsepal beardtongue
- Penstemon campanulatus (Cav.) Willd. bellflower beardtongue
- Penstemon canescens (Britt.) Britt. eastern gray beardtongue
- Penstemon cardinalis Woot. & Standl. cardinal beardtongue
- Penstemon cardwellii T.J. Howell Cardwell's beardtongue
- Penstemon carnosus Pennell fleshy beardtongue
- Penstemon caryi Pennell Cary's beardtongue
- Penstemon centranthifolius Benth. scarlet bugler
- Penstemon cinicola Keck ash penstemon
- Penstemon cleavelandii Gray
- Penstemon clevelandii Gray Cleveland's beardtongue
- Penstemon clutei A. Nels. Sunset Crater beardtongue, Sunset Crater penstemon
- Penstemon cobaea Nutt. cobaea beardtongue, Cobaea penstemon
- Penstemon comarrhenus Gray dusty beardtongue, dusty penstemon
- Penstemon compactus (Keck) Crosswhite compact penstemon
- Penstemon concinnus Keck Tunnel Springs beardtongue, Tunnel Springs penstemon
- Penstemon confertus Dougl. ex Lindl. yellow penstemon
- Penstemon confusus M.E. Jones Owens Valley beardtongue, Owens Valley penstemon
- Penstemon crandallii A. Nels. Crandall's beardtongue
- Penstemon X crideri A. Nels. (pro sp.) Crider penstemon, Crider's penstemon
- Penstemon cusickii Gray Cusick's beardtongue
- Penstemon cyananthus Hook. Wasatch beardtongue
- Penstemon cyaneus Pennell blue penstemon
- Penstemon cyanocaulis Payson bluestem beardtongue
- Penstemon cyathophorus Rydb. Northpark penstemon, sagebrush beardtongue
- Penstemon dasyphyllus Gray Cochise beardtongue, purple penstemon
- Penstemon davidsonii Greene Davidson's penstemon, timberline penstemon
- Penstemon deamii Pennell Deam's beardtongue
- Penstemon deaveri Crosswhite Mt. Graham beardtongue
- Penstemon debilis O'Kane & J. Anderson Parachute beardtongue
- Penstemon degeneri Crosswhite Degener's beardtongue
- Penstemon deustus Dougl. ex Lindl. scabland penstemon
- Penstemon digitalis Nutt. ex Sims talus slope penstemon
- Penstemon diphyllus Rydb. twoleaf beardtongue
- Penstemon discolor Keck Cataiina beardtongue
- Penstemon dissectus Ell. dissected beardtongue
- Penstemon distans N. Holmgren Mt. Tumbull beardtongue
- Penstemon dolius M.E. Jones ex Pennell Jone's penstemon, Jones' beardtongue
- Penstemon X dubius A. Davids. (pro sp.) dubius penstemon
- Penstemon eatonii Gray Eaton penstemon, Eaton's penstemon
- Penstemon elegantulus Pennell rockvine penstemon
- Penstemon ellipticus Coult. & Fisher rocky ledge penstemon
- Penstemon eriantherus Pursh fuzzytongue penstemon
- Penstemon euglaucus English glaucous beardtongue
- Penstemon fendleri Torr. & Gray fendler penstemon, Fendler's beardtongue, Fendler's penstemon
- Penstemon filiformis (Keck) Keck threadleaf beardtongue
- Penstemon flavescens Pennell high mountain penstemon
- Penstemon floribundus D. Danley Cordillia's beardtongue, Cordillia's penstemon
- Penstemon floridus Brandeg. Panamint beardtongue, Panamint penstemon
- Penstemon flowersii Neese & Welsh Flowers' beardtongue
- Penstemon franklinii Welsh Franklin's penstemon
- Penstemon fremontii Torr. & Gray ex Gray Fremont penstemon, Fremont's beardtongue
- Penstemon fruticiformis Coville Death Valley beardtongue, Death Valley penstemon
- Penstemon fruticosus (Pursh) Greene bush penstemon
- Penstemon gairdneri Hook. Gairdner's beardtongue
- Penstemon gibbensii Dorn Gibbens' beardtongue
- Penstemon glaber Pursh sawsepal penstemon, western smooth beardtongue
- Penstemon glandulosus Dougl. stickystem penstemon
- Penstemon glaucinus Pennell blueleaf beardtongue
- Penstemon globosus (Piper) Pennell & Keck globe penstemon
- Penstemon goodrichii N. Holmgren Lapoint beardtongue
- Penstemon gormanii Greene Gorman's beardtongue
- Penstemon gracilentus Gray slender penstemon
- Penstemon gracilis Nutt. lilac penstemon, slender penstemon
- Penstemon grahamii Keck Uinta Basin beardtongue
- Penstemon grandiflorus Nutt. large beardtongue, largeflowered penstemon
- Penstemon griffinii A. Nels. Griffin's beardtongue
- Penstemon grinnellii Eastw. Grinnell's beardtongue
- Penstemon guadalupensis Heller Guadalupe beardtongue
- Penstemon hallii Gray Hall's beardtongue
- Penstemon harbourii Gray Harbour's beardtongue
- Penstemon harringtoni Penl.
- Penstemon harringtonii Penl. Harrington's beardtongue
- Penstemon hartwegii Benth. Hartweg's beardtongue
- Penstemon harvardii Gray
- Penstemon havardii Gray Big Bend beardtongue
- Penstemon haydenii S. Wats. blowout beardtongue, blowout penstemon
- Penstemon heterodoxus Gray Sierra beardtongue, Sierra penstemon
- Penstemon heterophyllus Lindl. bunchleaf penstemon
- Penstemon hirsutus (L.) Willd. hairy beardtongue
- Penstemon humilis Nutt. ex Gray low beardtongue, low penstemon
- Penstemon idahoensis Atwood & Welsh Idaho beardtongue
- Penstemon immanifestus N. Holmgren Steptoe Valley beardtongue, Steptoe Valley penstemon
- Penstemon incertus Brandeg. Mojave beardtongue
- Penstemon inflatus Crosswhite inflated beardtongue
- Penstemon jamesii Benth. James penstemon, James' beardtongue
- Penstemon janishiae N. Holmgren Antelope Valley beardtongue, Janish's penstemon
- Penstemon jonesi Pennell
- Penstemon jonesii Pennell (pro sp.) Jones' penstemon
- Penstemon kingii S. Wats. King's beardtongue, King's penstemon
- Penstemon labrosus (Gray) Hook. f. San Gabriel beardtongue
- Penstemon laetus Gray mountain blue penstemon
- Penstemon laevigatus Ait. eastern smooth beardtongue
- Penstemon laevis Pennell southwestern beardtongue, southwestern penstemon
- Penstemon laricifolius Hook. & Arn. larchleaf beardtongue
- Penstemon laxiflorus Pennell nodding beardtongue
- Penstemon laxus A. Nels. tufted penstemon
- Penstemon leiophyllus Pennell smoothleaf beardtongue, smoothleaf penstemon
- Penstemon lemhiensis (Keck) Keck & Cronq. Lemhi penstemon
- Penstemon lentus Pennell handsome beardtongue, handsome penstemon
- Penstemon leonardii Rydb. Leonard's beardtongue, Leonard's penstemon
- Penstemon leptanthus Pennell Sevier Plateau beardtongue
- Penstemon linarioides Gray creeping penstemon, toadflax penstemon
- Penstemon longiflorus (Pennell) S.L. Clark longflower penstemon
- Penstemon lyallii (Gray) Gray Lyall's beardtongue
- Penstemon marcusii (Keck) N. Holmgren Marcus' beardtongue
- Penstemon mensarum Pennell tiger beardtongue
- Penstemon X mirus A. Nels. (pro sp.) bush penstemon, penstemon
- Penstemon miser Gray Malheur penstemon
- Penstemon moffatii Eastw. Moffatt's beardtongue
- Penstemon monoensis Heller Mono penstemon
- Penstemon montanus Greene cordroot beardtongue
- Penstemon moriahensis N. Holmgren Mount Moriah penstemon, Mt. Moriah beardtongue
- Penstemon multiflorus Chapman ex Benth. manyflower beardtongue
- Penstemon murcronatus N. Holmgr.
- Penstemon murrayanus Hook. scarlet beardtongue
- Penstemon nanus Keck dwarf beardtongue
- Penstemon navajoa N. Holmgren Navajo Mountain beardtongue
- Penstemon neomexicanus Woot. & Standl. New Mexico beardtongue
- Penstemon neotericus Keck Plumas County beardtongue
- Penstemon newberryi Gray mountain pride, pride-of-the-mountains
- Penstemon nitidus Dougl. ex Benth. waxleaf penstemon
- Penstemon nudiflorus Gray Flagstaff beardtongue
- Penstemon oklahomensis Pennell Oklahoma beardtongue, Oklahoma penstemon
- Penstemon oliganthus Woot. & Standl. Apache beardtongue
- Penstemon ophianthus Pennell Arizona beardtongue, coiled anther penstemon
- Penstemon osterhoutii Pennell Osterhout's beardtongue
- Penstemon ovatus Dougl. ex Hook. eggleaf beardtongue
- Penstemon pachyphyllus Gray ex Rydb. thickleaf beardtongue, thickleaf penstemon
- Penstemon pahutensis N. Holmgren Pahute penstemon, Paiute beardtongue
- Penstemon pallidus Small pale beardtongue
- Penstemon palmeri Gray Palmer's penstemon, Palmer penstemon
- Penstemon papillatus J.T. Howell Inyo beardtongue
- Penstemon X parishii Gray (pro sp.) Parish's penstemon
- Penstemon parryi (Gray) Gray Parry penstemon, Parry's beardtongue
- Penstemon parviflorus Pennell Montezuma County beardtongue
- Penstemon parvus Pennell Aquarius Plateau beardtongue
- Penstemon patens (M.E. Jones) N. Holmgren Lone Pine beardtongue, Lone Pine penstemon
- Penstemon payettensis A. Nels. & J.F. Macbr. Payette beardtongue
- Penstemon paysoniorum Keck Payson's beardtongue
- Penstemon peckii Pennell Peck's beardtongue
- Penstemon X peirsonii Munz & I.M. Johnston (pro sp.) Peirson's penstemon
- Penstemon penlandii W.A. Weber penland beardtongue, Penland's beardtongue
- Penstemon pennellianus Keck Blue Mountain beardtongue
- Penstemon perpulcher A. Nels. Minidoka beardtongue
- Penstemon personatus Keck closethroat beardtongue
- Penstemon petiolatus Brandeg. lime penstemon, petiolate beardtongue
- Penstemon pinifolius Greene pineneedle beardtongue, pineneedle penstemon
- Penstemon pinorum L.& J. Shultz Pine Valley penstemon
- Penstemon platyphyllus Rydb. broadleaf beardtongue, broadleaf penstemon
- Penstemon pratensis Greene western whiteflower beardtongue, western whiteflower penstemon
- Penstemon procerus Dougl. ex Graham littleflower penstemon, pincushion beardtongue
- Penstemon pruinosus Dougl. ex Lindl. Chilean beardtongue
- Penstemon pseudoparvus Crosswhite Mt. Washington beardtongue
- Penstemon pseudoputus (Crosswhite) N. Holmgren Kaibab Plateau beardtongue
- Penstemon pseudospectabilis M.E. Jones desert penstemon
- Penstemon pudicus Reveal & Beatley bashful penstemon, Kawich Range beardtongue
- Penstemon pumilus Nutt. Salmon River beardtongue
- Penstemon purpusii Brandeg. Snow Mountain beardtongue
- Penstemon putus A. Nels. Black River beardtongue
- Penstemon radicosus A. Nels. matroot penstemon
- Penstemon ramosus Crosswhite lanceleaf beardtongue, lanceleaf penstemon
- Penstemon rattanii Gray Rattan's beardtongue
- Penstemon retrorsus Payson ex Pennell Adobe Hills beardtongue
- Penstemon retrosus Payson Ex Pennell
- Penstemon rhizomatosus N. Holmgren
- Penstemon richardsonii Dougl. ex Lindl. cutleaf beardtongue
- Penstemon roezlii Regel Roezl's penstemon
- Penstemon rostriflorus Kellogg beaked beardtongue]], beakflower penstemon, Bridge penstemon
- Penstemon rubicundus Keck Wassuck penstemon, Wassuk Range beardtongue
- Penstemon rupicola (Piper) T.J. Howell cliff beardtongue
- Penstemon rydbergii A. Nels. meadow beardtongue, Rydberg penstemon, Rydberg's penstemon
- Penstemon saxosorum Pennell upland beardtongue
- Penstemon scapoides Keck pinyon beardtongue
- Penstemon scariosus Pennell White River beardtongue
- Penstemon secundiflorus Benth. sidebells penstemon
- Penstemon seorsus (A. Nels.) Keck shortlobe penstemon
- Penstemon sepalulus A. Nels. littlecup beardtongue
- Penstemon serrulatus Menzies ex Sm. serrulate penstemon
- Penstemon smallii Heller Small's beardtongue
- Penstemon spatulatus Pennell Wallowa beardtongue
- Penstemon speciosus Dougl. ex Lindl. prairie-clover, royal penstemon
- Penstemon spectabilis Thurb. ex Gray showy penstemon
- Penstemon stenophyllus (Gray) T.J. Howell Sonoran beardtongue
- Penstemon stephensii Brandeg. Stephens' penstemon
- Penstemon strictiformis Rydb. Mancos penstemon, stiff penstemon
- Penstemon strictus Benth. Rocky Mountain beardtongue, Rocky Mountain penstemon
- Penstemon subglaber Rydb. smooth penstemon
- Penstemon subserratus Pennell finetooth beardtongue
- Penstemon subulatus M.E. Jones hackberry beardtongue
- Penstemon sudans M.E. Jones Susanville beardtongue, Susanville penstemon
- Penstemon superbus A. Nels. superb beardtongue
- Penstemon tenuiflorus Pennell eastern whiteflower beardtongue
- Penstemon tenuis Small sharpsepal beardtongue
- Penstemon teucrioides Greene germander beardtongue
- Penstemon thompsoniae (Gray) Rydb. Thompson's penstemon, Thompson's beardtongue, Thompson penstemon
- Penstemon thurberi Torr. Thurber's penstemon, Thurber penstemon
- Penstemon tidestromii Pennell Tidestrom's beardtongue
- Penstemon tiehmii N. Holmgren Tiehm's beardtongue
- Penstemon tracyi Keck Trinity penstemon
- Penstemon triflorus Heller Heller's beardtongue
- Penstemon triphyllus Dougl. ex Lindl. Riggin's penstemon
- Penstemon tubiflorus Nutt. white wand beardtongue
- Penstemon tusharensis N. Holmgren Tushar Range beardtongue
- Penstemon uintahensis Pennell Uinta Mountain beardtongue
- Penstemon unilateralis Rydb. oneside penstemon
- Penstemon utahensis Eastw. Utah penstemon
- Penstemon venustus Dougl. ex Lindl. Venus penstemon
- Penstemon virens Pennell ex Rydb. Front Range beardtongue
- Penstemon virgatus Gray upright blue beardtongue
- Penstemon wardii Gray Ward's beardtongue
- Penstemon washingtonensis Keck Washington beardtongue
- Penstemon watsonii Gray Watson's penstemon, Watson's beardtongue, Watson penstemon
- Penstemon whippleanus Gray dark beardtongue, Whipple's penstemon
- Penstemon wilcoxii Rydb. Wilcox's penstemon
- Penstemon wrightii Hook. Wright's beardtongue
- Penstemon yampaensis Penl. Yampa beardtongue
