Penstemon newberryi aka Mountain Pride

Penstemon newberryi, also known as mountain pride or Newberry's penstemon, is a species of penstemon native to the mountains of northern California, Oregon, and Nevada. This bushy, mat-forming subshrub can reach heights of up to 30 centimeters and is often found in rocky habitats, particularly at high elevations like talus. The plant has mostly basal leaves that are oblong or oval in shape, measuring 1 to 4 centimeters in length, with a few smaller pairs along the stem. The glandular inflorescence produces striking magenta flowers, which are tubular or funnel-shaped and can range from 2 to over 3 centimeters in length. These flowers are characterized by a coating of short to long and curly hairs in the mouth and on the staminode. Penstemon newberryi belongs to the Penstemon subgenus Dasanthera, alongside other species such as P. barrettiae, P. cardwellii, P. davidsonii, P. ellipticus, P. fruticosus, P. lyallii, P. montanus, and P. rupicola. In the UK, it has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit and is known to tolerate a wide range of positions, although it thrives best in full sun. This particular penstemon was John Muir's favorite flower, and its Latin specific epithet, newberryi, pays tribute to the renowned American geologist and botanist John Strong Newberry (1822-1892). As a dwarf evergreen subshrub, P. newberryi typically reaches a height of 25 centimeters and features small, leathery ovate leaves. Its clusters of deep rose-pink, tubular flowers, measuring 4 centimeters in length, bloom in early summer.