Meadow Penstemon

Meadow penstemon (Penstemon rydbergii) brings a distinctly mountain-meadow look to the garden, with upright stems rising from a low rosette of foliage and clusters of blue-violet, tubular flowers appearing through the warmer months. It's a particularly nice choice for a naturalistic planting where you want something that looks at home rather than overly formal. The flowers also make it a useful addition to a pollinator-friendly garden, attracting bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other beneficial visitors.

This is a good native choice for gardens that can provide well-drained soil without becoming bone-dry. Give it a sunny spot and room to form a modest clump, and it can return year after year with relatively little fuss. Its mountain origins also make it well suited to Utah's colder elevations and native-plant landscapes, and native plantings with regular irrigation.