Penstemon newberryi ssp. newberryi

Habit: Mountain pride penstemon forms thick mats of leafy, semi-woody stems. Its creeping side stems are sterile and leafy whereas upright shoots carry very attractive flowers and grow up to 1 feet tall. Stems are typically covered with 1.5-inch basal leaves which are supported by short petioles (leafstalks). The basal leaves are rounded to elliptic-shaped, slightly hairy and display minutely serrated to nearly entire margins. Upper cauline leaves are reduced to bracts. Few-flowered, glandular racemes top the plant during blooming season, from July to August. The flowers are glandular, lavender to purplish or pinkish. The corolla mouth is bent backwards and white-bearded inside and the anthers are densely woolly. In alpine terrain, flowers take on a striking cherry-red color.

Ecology: found in open forests, rocky outcrops and talus slopes, at high elevations from 4,300 to 11,500 feet. Mountain pride is native from the Sierra Nevada, covering most of central and northern California as well as northwestern Nevada.

Growing conditions: enjoys full to partial shade, and rocky, or gravelly well-drained soils. It can perform well in a rock garden or around paved structures. This penstemon has mainly evergreen foliage and provides year-round interest to the garden. It can be planted in a sunny spot in the garden to attract birds, bees and butterflies.  Penstemon newberryi is the most highly sought after of high elevation Penstemons.