About Penstemon pruinosus Douglas
Penstemon pruinosus Douglas typically grows 8 to 40 centimeters (3 to 16 inches) tall, and occasionally reaches up to 60 centimeters (24 inches) in height. Its stems and basal leaves grow from a thick, branched woody base. At the base of the plant, elliptic to ovate leaves are borne on long petioles, and can grow up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) long and 2 centimeters (3/4 inch) wide. The flowering stem also bears pairs of similar but smaller leaves that do not have petioles, and instead clasp the stem. Both sets of leaves usually have many small sharp teeth, though the teeth may be indistinct or absent on some leaves. The stem, flower calyx, and bases of the petals are covered in short glandular hairs, while leaves may be glandular, hairy, or hairless (glabrous). The tubular blue flowers are borne in distinct spaced whorls called verticillasters, and have lines on the lower part of the flower throat. Petal lobes range from pale to deep blue, and the area at the base of the lobes often has a purple to violet color.
This species is found in open areas of central Washington (U.S.) and south-central British Columbia (Canada), occurring in a range of open habitats from lower elevations up to low mountains. It grows in arid habitats with sagebrush or pine trees, at altitudes between 300 and 2,000 meters (1,000 to 6,600 feet).
