There are more types of penstemons than there are pages in my nature journal. Penstemon clings to soil without much humus, water or shade. Entire colonies thrive where little else has taken root, often on disturbed soil.
YELLOW PENSTEMON
(Keckiella antirrhinoides)
Native to the western U.S., the penstemon is considered a wildflower. Eastern Colorado boasts ten diverse native penstemons that are found ranging from the plains, foothills and montane areas and bloom from May through August depending on the variety.
BLUEMIST PENSTEMON
(Penstemon virens)
Red penstemon, which we haven't come across yet, is an intriguing species that exists to be pollinated by one specific creature—the hummingbird. Other pollinators may be driven to frustration; bees, moths and even flies squeeze as best they can into their tubular flowers. But this is the essence of specialty evolution. The bird and blossom fit perfectly. Over time the fit has pollinated the blossom more completely than any other creature and so the reds thrive, the bright color scanned from above by tiny birds with acute eyesight.
All our friendly beardtongues were found on Summit County hikes- and every single one had a distinct bearded face.
