Rocky Mountain Penstemon
Penstemon strictus
Rocky Mountain Penstemon is a perennial for mid-border, suited to full sun and loam or sandy soil, flowering May, Jun, Jul.
| Type | Perennial |
|---|---|
| Mature height | 60 cm |
| Spread | 45 cm |
| Aspect | full sun |
| Foliage | Deciduous |
| Hardiness | USDA 4a-8a |
| Pollinator-friendly | Yes |
| Pet-safe | Not confirmed |
Where to use it in a border
At around 60 cm, it sits best through the middle of a border, between taller structure behind and edging in front. Give it about 45 cm of room to spread, roughly 2 to the metre when planted in a drift. It is hardy across USDA zones 4a to 8a, so check it suits your area before planting.
It appears in our lists of full sun, sandy soil, pollinator-friendly plants.
Border Builder uses Rocky Mountain Penstemon's height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.
Flowering through the year
Worth knowing
- Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.
Good companions
Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:
- Aromatic Asterto edge in front
- Blanket Flower 'Arizona Sun'to edge in front
- Blanket Flower 'Goblin'to edge in front
- Dwarf Blazing Starto edge in front
- Lanceleaf Coreopsisto edge in front
- Nodding Onionto edge in front
Garden styles
Native Wildlife garden Xeriscape (low-water)
Sources
Bloom timing and hardiness drawn from:
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (wildflower.org, 2026-05
- id_plant=PEST2) — bloom 'May, Jun' Rocky Mountain native
- naCool/naTemperate/naWarm all share same window per Rocky Mountain interior climate