Cliff Penstemon

Did you know

• This tiny shrublet grows directly from rock crevices on cliff faces in the Cascade Range and is extremely drought-tolerant.
• The blue-gray evergreen leaves are thick and waxy, an adaptation to reduce water loss in its exposed rocky habitat.
• Cliff penstemon produces flowers that are disproportionately large compared to the plant's tiny stature.
• It is a prized rock garden plant, though it demands perfect drainage and resents any humidity around its crown.
• Hummingbirds are the primary pollinators, visiting the tubular flowers on high mountain cliffs.

Color meanings

Uses

• rock garden
• alpine garden
• trough planting