Pineneedle Beardtongue
Penstemon pinifolius

Family: Plantaginaceae

Perennial plant growing 1-2’ tall (with blooms). Evergreen, though plants may need to be cut back occasionally. Red tubular flowers appear in summer.

Full to part sun, moderate water with good drainage, hardy to -30°F. Cut back as needed.

Pollinated by hummingbirds, and nectar seeking insects.

Many sources mistakenly translate the Latin name Penstemon as meaning “five stamens”, but this is incorrect. The “pen” in Penstemon doesn’t come from penta (five) but from the Latin paene meaning “nearly” or “almost”, while stemon is derived from Greek for “thread”. “Nearly a thread” is a reference to the staminode, which is almost a functional stamen. The species pinifolius refers to the plants having pine-like or needle-like leaves.

Photo by Teague Embrey, SEINET
Penstemon pinifolius on iNaturalist