About Penstemon ellipticus Coult. & Fisher
Penstemon ellipticus Coult. & Fisher, commonly called rocky ledge penstemon, is a somewhat low-growing plant with creeping or spreading stems. Individual stems grow upward to a height of 5 to 18 centimeters (2 to 7 inches), and are covered in backward-pointing hairs. Its flowers are violet to purple and hairless on the outside. This species is native to the northwestern U.S. states of Washington, Idaho, and Montana, as well as the western Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. Within this range, it grows in the Canadian Rockies, the Columbia Mountains, and the northern sections of the U.S. Rocky Mountains. It occurs at elevations between 900 and 2,700 meters (3,000 to 8,900 feet), and grows in rocky habitats including cliffs, rock fields, ledges, and outcrops.
