Perennial in zone 5b.

Grows to 24", or so.








One of the most distinguishing features is the extremely bright green leaves. Blooms appear as rosy-violet in person. I'll post closeups of leaves and their attachment if needed.

Ohhh, I love penstemon, hope an ID can be found, that's a beauty!

I believe it's rough pennyroyal...let me check my list...BRB

NOT...it only looked at first glance the same

It sure look like our (Brazoria County, Texas) native Penstemon tenuis, aka Brazos Penstemon or Gulf Coast Penstemon. It's the only Penstemon that grows here, requiring moist-wet soils. I did check Dave's Garden and supposely it's growing into New York State and Oak Park, Indiana although it's supposed to be hardy only to 7b. Guess no one told the plant.

Brazos Penstemon does have bright green, rather glossy leaves - the wider leaf base with the abrupt narrowing to the pointed tip looks the same. Flower color sounds right (when you say rosy-lavender). Height seems right for northern areas (here it's at least 36").

Was the plant from a nursery or wild? If wlld, it's not Brazos Penstemon.

Yes, Brazos Penstemon, a beautiful short lived perennial,

I had found that one, but wasn't sure that the leaves looked right for a match. These are some that I grew from seeds collected from a plant purchased by my mom - source forgotten.

Thanks for the help!

[BTW - we had a lot of plants survive our last mild winter that really shouldn't have. ]

Good work on zone pushing. Hummers and bees really work it over. They do set seed readily, and judging from my yard, there's 100% germination

BTW, if you cut back the fading flowering stems (before it sets seeds) a few inches from the basal rosette and feed it, it will flower again (although not with the same exuberance as the first flowering). Well, at least it does here...

That's good to know...thanks! I'll leave one for seed collecting, and cut the rest back.

It's truly lovely blooming as it is in the area right in front of my kitchen windows.