Penstemons are an important genus of native plants throughout the western United States. They have also been hybridized to produce some excellent garden plants, well able to tolerate droughty summer conditions
The greatest concentration of species are found in Utah and each of these is profiled in “The Heart of Penstemon Country” by Mikel Stevens et al. While this may seem a bit out of scope for western Washington, a number of these species have ranges that extend into the eastern part of our state, and many of the Utah natives have been successfully grown elsewhere, or used in creating hybrids.
Another intriguing factor of this book is that it is written by three horticulturists, including Tony McCammon, who grew up in Tacoma. This perhaps explains why in the description of each species they make a distinction between the general description for the wildflower enthusiast, and the technical description for the botanist. Other factors considered are the potential or known experience with cultivation, the conservation status, and ethnobotanical uses.
Excerpted from Brian Thompson’s article in the Spring 2023 issue of the Arboretum Bulletin