Plant database · Perennial
Rocky Mountain penstemon
Penstemon strictus
Tougher than it looks and happy in clay. Cut back after bloom for a tidy mound.
In a Salt Lake Valley yard
Rocky Mountain penstemon is a perennial for full sun to part shade that needs low water once established, reaching 2–3 ft tall, 1–2 ft wide. Expect bloom may–july, violet blue. Hardy to USDA 3–8, which covers every neighborhood from the valley floor to the bench.
Plant in fall if you can. Water weekly the first summer, then taper. On drip, one or two emitters per plant is plenty; on a park strip, set it high in gravel so the crown stays dry in winter.
Start with the strip.
A fixed-price park strip conversion, planted to rebate standard, paperwork handled. Most strips are done in a day.