List of Penstemon species

Species in the genus Penstemon are commonly called penstemons or beardtongues in English, and they will often have a common name based on either. As the subgenuses have some taxonomic uncertainty, the species are arranged alphabetically by name in the lists. As of 2024 there are 281 species and seven natural hybrids, according to Plants of the World Online (POWO). The database World Flora Online (WFO) regards all the species listed by POWO as valid, but additionally lists two natural hybrids as species and five additional species as valid.

Penstemon species

These 281 species of Penstemon are considered valid by both World Flora Online (WFO) and Plants of the World Online (POWO), with the exception of Penstemon grandiflorus. In both POWO and WFO, it is regarded as a synonym of Penstemon bradburyi. However, P. grandiflorus continues to be widely used as the correct species name in North America, including by the Flora of North America and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS database (PLANTS). It is listed as P. grandiflorus in the table with the synonym noted.

Scientific name Authority	Common names	Photo
Penstemon abietinus Pennell	Firleaf beardtongue
Penstemon absarokensis Evert	Absaroka Range beardtongue
Penstemon acaulis L.O.Williams	stemless penstemon
Penstemon acuminatus Douglas ex Lindl.	sharpleaf penstemon
Penstemon alamosensis Pennell & G.T.Nisbet	Los Alamos beardtongue
Penstemon albertinus Greene	Alberta penstemon
Penstemon albidus Nutt.	white penstemon
Penstemon albifluvis England	White River penstemon
Penstemon albomarginatus M.E.Jones	white-margined penstemon
Penstemon ambiguus Torr.	bush penstemon gilia beardtongue gilia penstemon
Penstemon ammophilus N.H.Holmgren & L.M.Schultz	sandloving penstemon
Penstemon amphorellae Crosswh.
Penstemon angelicus (I.M.Johnst.) Moran
Penstemon anguineus Eastw.	Siskiyou penstemon
Penstemon angustifolius Nutt. ex Pursh	broadbeard beardtongue narrowleaf penstemon
Penstemon arenarius Greene	Nevada sanddune beardtongue sanddune penstemon
Penstemon arenicola A.Nelson	Red Desert penstemon
Penstemon aridus Rydb.	stiffleaf penstemon
Penstemon arkansanus Pennell	Arkansas beardtongue
Penstemon atropurpureus (Sweet) G.Don
Penstemon attenuatus Douglas	sulphur penstemon
Penstemon atwoodii S.L.Welsh	Kaiparowits beardtongue
Penstemon auriberbis Pennell	Colorado penstemon
Penstemon australis Small	Eustis Lake beardtongue
Penstemon azureus Benth.	azure penstemon
Penstemon baccharifolius Hook.	baccharisleaf beardtongue
Penstemon barbatus (Cav.) Roth	golden-beard penstemon beardlip penstemon
Penstemon barnebyi N.H.Holmgren	Barneby's penstemon White River Valley beardtongue
Penstemon barrettiae A.Gray	Barrett's beardtongue
Penstemon bicolor (Brandegee) Clokey & D.D.Keck	pinto beardtongue pinto penstemon
Penstemon bleaklyi O'Kane & K.D.Heil	bleakly penstemon
Penstemon bolanius Straw
Penstemon bracteatus D.D.Keck	Red Canyon beardtongue
Penstemon breviculus (D.D.Keck) G.T.Nisbet & R.C.Jacks.	shortstem beardtongue shortstem penstemon
Penstemon brevisepalus Pennell	short-sepaled beardtongue
Penstemon buckleyi Pennell	buckley penstemon Buckley's beardtongue
Penstemon caesius A.Gray	San Bernardino penstemon
Penstemon caespitosus Nutt. ex A.Gray	mat penstemon
Penstemon calcareus Brandegee	limestone penstemon
Penstemon californicus (Munz & I.M.Johnst.) D.D.Keck	California penstemon
Penstemon calycosus Small	longsepal beardtongue
Penstemon campanulatus (Cav.) Willd.	bellflower beardtongue
Penstemon canescens Britton	eastern gray beardtongue
Penstemon cardinalis Wooton & Standl.	cardinal beardtongue
Penstemon cardwellii Howell	Cardwell's beardtongue
Penstemon carnosus Pennell	fleshy beardtongue
Penstemon caryi Pennell	Cary's beardtongue
Penstemon cedrosensis Krautter	Cedros Island penstemon
Penstemon centranthifolius (Benth.) Benth.	scarlet bugler
Penstemon cinicola D.D.Keck	ash penstemon
Penstemon clevelandii A.Gray	Cleveland's beardtongue
Penstemon clutei A.Nelson	Sunset Crater beardtongue Sunset Crater penstemon
Penstemon cobaea Nutt.	cobaea beardtongue cobaea penstemon
Penstemon comarrhenus A.Gray	dusty beardtongue dusty penstemon
Penstemon concinnus D.D.Keck	Tunnel Springs beardtongue Tunnel Springs penstemon
Penstemon confertus Douglas	yellow penstemon
Penstemon confusus M.E.Jones	Owens Valley beardtongue Owens Valley penstemon
Penstemon crandallii A.Nelson	Crandall's penstemon
Penstemon curtiflorus (D.D.Keck) N.H.Holmgren
Penstemon cusickii A.Gray	Cusick's beardtongue
Penstemon cyananthus Hook.	Wasatch beardtongue
Penstemon cyaneus Pennell	blue penstemon
Penstemon cyanocaulis Payson	bluestem beardtongue
Penstemon cyathophorus Rydb.	cupped penstemon Middle Park penstemon
Penstemon dasyphyllus A.Gray	Cochise beardtongue purple penstemon
Penstemon davidsonii Greene	Davidson's penstemon timberline penstemon
Penstemon deamii Pennell	Deam's beardtongue
Penstemon deaveri Crosswh.	Mt. Graham beardtongue
Penstemon debilis O'Kane & J.L.Anderson	Parachute beardtongue
Penstemon degeneri Crosswh.	Degener's beardtongue
Penstemon deustus Douglas ex Lindl.	scabland penstemon
Penstemon digitalis Nutt. ex Sims	talus slope penstemon foxglove beardtongue
Penstemon diphyllus Rydb.	twoleaf beardtongue
Penstemon discolor D.D.Keck	Catalina beardtongue
Penstemon dissectus Elliott	dissected beardtongue
Penstemon distans N.H.Holmgren	Mt. Tumbull beardtongue
Penstemon dolius M.E.Jones	Jones's penstemon Jones' beardtongue
Penstemon dugesii Pérez-Calix & Zacarías
Penstemon duchesnensis (N.H.Holmgren) Neese	Duchesne penstemon
Penstemon eatonii A.Gray	Eaton's penstemon firecracker penstemon
Penstemon elegantulus Pennell	rockvine penstemon
Penstemon ellipticus J.M.Coult. & Fisher	eggleaf penstemon rocky ledge penstemon
Penstemon eriantherus Nutt. ex Pursh	fuzzytongue penstemon
Penstemon euglaucus English	glaucous beardtongue
Penstemon eximius D.D.Keck	extrodinary penstemon unusual beardtongue
Penstemon fasciculatus A.Gray
Penstemon fendleri Torr. & A.Gray	fendler penstemon
Penstemon filiformis (D.D.Keck) D.D.Keck	threadleaf beardtongue
Penstemon filisepalis Straw
Penstemon flavescens Pennell	high mountain penstemon
Penstemon floribundus Danley	Cordillia's penstemon
Penstemon floridus Brandegee	Panamint beardtongue Panamint penstemon
Penstemon flowersii Neese & S.L.Welsh	Flowers' beardtongue
Penstemon franklinii S.L.Welsh	Franklin's penstemon
Penstemon fremontii Torr. & A.Gray	Fremont penstemon
Penstemon fruticiformis Coville	Death Valley penstemon
Penstemon fruticosus (Pursh) Greene	Greene bush penstemon
Penstemon gairdneri Hook.	Gairdner's beardtongue
Penstemon galloensis G.L.Nesom
Penstemon gentianoides (Kunth) Poir.	gentian penstemon
Penstemon gentryi Standl.
Penstemon gibbensii Dorn	Gibbens' beardtongue
Penstemon glaber Pursh	sawsepal penstemon
Penstemon glandulosus Douglas ex Lindl.	stickystem penstemon
Penstemon glaucinus Pennell	blueleaf beardtongue
Penstemon globosus (Piper) Pennell & D.D.Keck	globe penstemon
Penstemon goodrichii N.H.Holmgren	Lapoint penstemon
Penstemon gormanii Greene	Gorman's beardtongue
Penstemon gracilentus A.Gray	slender penstemon
Penstemon gracilis Nutt.	lilac penstemon slender penstemon
Penstemon grandiflorus Nutt. Penstemon bradburyi Pursh	large flower penstemon shell-leaf penstemon
Penstemon grahamii D.D.Keck	Uinta Basin beardtongue
Penstemon griffinii A.Nelson	Griffin's beardtongue
Penstemon grinnellii Eastw.	Grinnell's beardtongue
Penstemon guadalupensis A.Heller	Guadalupe beardtongue
Penstemon hallii A.Gray	Hall's beardtongue
Penstemon harbourii A.Gray	Harbour's beardtongue
Penstemon harringtonii Penland	Harrington's beardtongue
Penstemon hartwegii Benth.	Hartweg's beardtongue
Penstemon havardii A.Gray	Big Bend beardtongue
Penstemon haydenii S.Watson ex J.M.Coult.	blowout beardtongue blowout penstemon
Penstemon henricksonii Straw
Penstemon hesperius M.E.Peck	tall western penstemon
Penstemon heterodoxus A.Gray	Sierra beardtongue Sierra penstemon
Penstemon heterophyllus Lindl.	bunchleaf penstemon
Penstemon hidalgensis Straw
Penstemon hirsutus (L.) Willd.	hairy beardtongue
Penstemon humilis Nutt. ex A.Gray	low beardtongue low penstemon
Penstemon idahoensis N.D.Atwood & S.L.Welsh	Idaho penstemon
Penstemon imberbis (Kunth) Trautv.
Penstemon immanifestus N.H.Holmgren	Steptoe Valley beardtongue Steptoe Valley penstemon
Penstemon incertus Brandegee	Mojave beardtongue
Penstemon inflatus Crosswh.	inflated beardtongue
Penstemon isophyllus B.L.Rob.	equal-leaved penstemon
Penstemon jamesii Benth.	James penstemon James' beardtongue
Penstemon janishiae N.H.Holmgren	Antelope Valley beardtongue Janish's penstemon
Penstemon kingii S.Watson	King's beardtongue King's penstemon
Penstemon kralii D.Estes
Penstemon labrosus (A.Gray) Mast. ex Hook.f.	San Gabriel beardtongue
Penstemon laetus A.Gray	mountain blue penstemon
Penstemon laevigatus Aiton	eastern smooth beardtongue
Penstemon laevis Pennell	southwestern beardtongue southwestern penstemon
Penstemon lanceolatus Benth.	lanceleaf penstemon
Penstemon laricifolius Hook. & Arn.	larchleaf beardtongue
Penstemon laxiflorus Pennell	nodding beardtongue
Penstemon laxus A.Nelson	tufted penstemon
Penstemon leiophyllus Pennell	smoothleaf beardtongue smoothleaf penstemon
Penstemon lemhiensis (D.D.Keck) D.D.Keck & Cronquist	Lemhi penstemon
Penstemon lentus Pennell	handsome beardtongue handsome penstemon
Penstemon leonardii Rydb.	Leonard's beardtongue Leonard's penstemon
Penstemon leonensis Straw
Penstemon linarioides A.Gray	creeping penstemon toadflax penstemon
Penstemon longiflorus (Pennell) S.L.Clark	longflower penstemon
Penstemon luteus G.L.Nesom
Penstemon lyallii (A.Gray) A.Gray	Lyall's beardtongue
Penstemon marcusii (D.D.Keck) N.H.Holmgren	Marcus' beardtongue
Penstemon mensarum Pennell	tiger beardtongue
Penstemon metcalfei Wooton & Standl.	Metcalfe's beardtongue
Penstemon miniatus Lindl.
Penstemon miser A.Gray	Malheur penstemon
Penstemon moffatii Eastw.	Moffatt's beardtongue
Penstemon mohinoranus Straw	Cerro Mohinora penstemon
Penstemon monoensis A.Heller	Mono penstemon
Penstemon montanus Greene	cordroot beardtongue
Penstemon moriahensis N.H.Holmgren	Mount Moriah penstemon Mt. Moriah beardtongue
Penstemon mucronatus N.H.Holmgren
Penstemon multiflorus (Benth.) Chapm. ex Small	manyflower beardtongue
Penstemon murrayanus Hook.	scarlet beardtongue
Penstemon nanus D.D.Keck	dwarf beardtongue
Penstemon navajoa N.H.Holmgren	Navajo Mountain beardtongue
Penstemon neomexicanus Wooton & Standl.	New Mexico beardtongue
Penstemon neotericus D.D.Keck	Plumas County beardtongue
Penstemon newberryi A.Gray	mountain pride pride-of-the-mountains
Penstemon nitidus Douglas ex Benth.	waxleaf penstemon
Penstemon nudiflorus A.Gray	Flagstaff beardtongue
Penstemon occiduus Straw
Penstemon oklahomensis Pennell	Oklahoma beardtongue Oklahoma penstemon
Penstemon oliganthus Wooton & Standl.	Apache beardtongue
Penstemon ophianthus Pennell	Arizona beardtongue coiled anther penstemon
Penstemon osterhoutii Pennell	Osterhout's beardtongue
Penstemon ovatus Douglas	eggleaf beardtongue
Penstemon pachyphyllus A.Gray ex Rydb.	thickleaf beardtongue thickleaf penstemon
Penstemon pahutensis N.H.Holmgren	Pahute penstemon Paiute beardtongue
Penstemon pallidus Small	pale beardtongue
Penstemon palmeri A.Gray	Palmer's penstemon Palmer penstemon
Penstemon papillatus J.T.Howell	Inyo beardtongue
Penstemon parryi A.Gray	Gray Parry penstemon Parry's beardtongue
Penstemon parvulus (A.Gray) Krautter	Aquarius Plateau beardtongue
Penstemon parvus Pennell	Aquarius Plateau penstemon
Penstemon patens (M.E.Jones) N.H.Holmgren	Lone Pine beardtongue Lone Pine penstemon
Penstemon payettensis A.Nelson & J.F.Macbr.	Payette beardtongue
Penstemon paysoniorum D.D.Keck	Payson's beardtongue
Penstemon peckii Pennell	Peck's beardtongue
Penstemon penlandii W.A.Weber	Kremling beardtongue Kremling penstemon
Penstemon pennellianus D.D.Keck	Blue Mountain beardtongue
Penstemon perfoliatus Al.Brongn.
Penstemon perpulcher A.Nelson	Minidoka beardtongue
Penstemon personatus D.D.Keck	closethroat beardtongue
Penstemon petiolatus Brandegee	lime penstemon petiolate beardtongue
Penstemon pinifolius Greene	pineneedle beardtongue pineneedle penstemon
Penstemon pinorum L.M.Shultz & J.S.Shultz	Pine Valley penstemon
Penstemon plagapineus Straw	pine-land penstemon
Penstemon platyphyllus Rydb.	broadleaf beardtongue broadleaf penstemon
Penstemon potosinus Straw	San Luis Potosi penstemon
Penstemon pratensis Greene	whiteflower beardtongue western whiteflower penstemon
Penstemon procerus Douglas ex Graham	littleflower penstemon pincushion beardtongue
Penstemon pruinosus Douglas	Chelan beardtongue
Penstemon pseudoparvus Crosswh.	Mt. Washington beardtongue San Mateo penstemon
Penstemon pseudoputus (Crosswh.) N.H.Holmgren	Kaibab Plateau beardtongue
Penstemon pseudospectabilis M.E.Jones	desert penstemon
Penstemon pudicus Reveal & Beatley	bashful penstemon Kawich Range beardtongue
Penstemon pumilus Nutt.	Salmon River beardtongue
Penstemon punctatus Brandegee
Penstemon purpusii Brandegee	Snow Mountain beardtongue
Penstemon putus A.Nelson	Black River beardtongue
Penstemon radicosus A.Nelson	matroot penstemon
Penstemon rattanii A.Gray	Rattan's beardtongue
Penstemon reidmoranii Zacarías & A.Wolfe	Reid Moran's penstemon
Penstemon retrorsus Payson	Adobe Hills penstemon
Penstemon rhizomatosus N.H.Holmgren	Schell Creek penstemon
Penstemon richardsonii Douglas ex Lindl.	cutleaf beardtongue
Penstemon roezlii Regel	Roezl's penstemon
Penstemon roseus (Cerv. ex Sweet) G.Don	pinto penstemon
Penstemon rostriflorus Kellogg	beaked beardtongue beakflower penstemon Bridge penstemon
Penstemon rotundifolius A.Gray	roundleaf penstemon
Penstemon rubicundus D.D.Keck	Wassuck penstemon Wassuk Range beardtongue
Penstemon rupicola (Piper) Howell	cliff beardtongue
Penstemon rydbergii A.Nelson	meadow beardtongue Rydberg penstemon Rydberg's penstemon
Penstemon salmonensis N.H.Holmgren
Penstemon saltarius Crosswh.
Penstemon saxosorum Pennell	upland beardtongue
Penstemon scapoides D.D.Keck	pinyon beardtongue
Penstemon scariosus Pennell	White River beardtongue
Penstemon schaffneri (Hemsl.) Straw	jarritos penstemon
Penstemon secundiflorus Benth.	sidebells penstemon
Penstemon seorsus (A.Nelson) D.D.Keck	shortlobe penstemon
Penstemon sepalulus A.Nelson	littlecup beardtongue
Penstemon serrulatus Menzies ex Sm.	serrulate penstemon
Penstemon smallii A.Heller	Small's beardtongue
Penstemon spatulatus Pennell	Wallowa penstemon
Penstemon speciosus Douglas	royal penstemon
Penstemon spectabilis Thurb. ex A.Gray	showy penstemon
Penstemon stenophyllus A.Gray	Sonoran beardtongue
Penstemon stephensii Brandegee	Stephens' penstemon
Penstemon strictiformis Rydb.	Mancos penstemon stiff penstemon
Penstemon strictus Benth.	Rocky Mountain beardtongue Rocky Mountain penstemon
Penstemon subglaber Rydb.	smooth penstemon
Penstemon subserratus Pennell	finetooth beardtongue
Penstemon subulatus M.E.Jones	hackberry beardtongue
Penstemon sudans M.E.Jones	Susanville beardtongue Susanville penstemon
Penstemon superbus A.Nelson	superb beardtongue
Penstemon tenuiflorus Pennell	eastern whiteflower beardtongue
Penstemon tenuifolius Benth.
Penstemon tenuis Small	sharpsepal beardtongue
Penstemon tepicensis Straw
Penstemon teucrioides Greene	germander beardtongue
Penstemon thompsoniae (A.Gray) Rydb.	Thompson's penstemon Thompson's beardtongue Thompson penstemon
Penstemon thurberi Torr.	Thurber's penstemon Thurber penstemon
Penstemon tidestromii Pennell	Tidestrom's beardtongue
Penstemon tiehmii N.H.Holmgren	Tiehm's penstemon
Penstemon tracyi D.D.Keck	Trinity penstemon
Penstemon triflorus A.Heller	Heller's beardtongue
Penstemon triphyllus Douglas	Riggin's penstemon
Penstemon tubaeflorus Nutt.	white wand beardtongue
Penstemon uintahensis Pennell	Uinta Mountain beardtongue
Penstemon utahensis Eastw.	Utah penstemon
Penstemon venustus Douglas	Venus penstemon
Penstemon virens Pennell ex Rydb.	Front Range beardtongue
Penstemon virgatus A.Gray	upright blue beardtongue
Penstemon vizcainensis Moran
Penstemon vulcanellus Crosswh.
Penstemon wardii A.Gray	Ward's beardtongue
Penstemon washingtonensis D.D.Keck	Washington beardtongue
Penstemon watsonii A.Gray	Watson's penstemon Watson's beardtongue Watson penstemon
Penstemon wendtiorum B.L.Turner
Penstemon whippleanus A.Gray	dark penstemon Whipple's penstemon
Penstemon wilcoxii Rydb.	Wilcox's penstemon
Penstemon wislizeni (A.Gray) Straw
Penstemon wrightii Hook.	Wright's beardtongue
Penstemon xylus A.Nelson	Tushar Bluemat Penstemon
Penstemon yampaensis Penland	Yampa penstemon

Penstemon natural hybrids

As of 2024 these seven naturally occurring hybrids are valid, according to POWO. Two are considered valid species, according to WFO.

Scientific name Authority	Common names	Photo
Penstemon × crideri A.Nelson	Crider penstemon Crider's penstemon
Penstemon × dubius Davidson	dubius penstemon
Penstemon × jonesii Pennell Penstemon jonesii Pennell	Jones' penstemon
Penstemon × mirus A.Nelson
Penstemon × moronensis Crosswh. Penstemon moronensis Crosswh.
Penstemon × parishii A.Gray
Penstemon × peirsonii Munz & I.M.Johnst.

Additional Penstemon species

These five species are listed as accepted by World Flora Online, but are not accepted by Plants of the World Online.

Scientific name Authority	Common names	Photo
Penstemon brevibarbatus Crosswhite
Penstemon cerrosensis Kellogg
Penstemon compactus (D.D.Keck) Crosswh.	cache beardtongue compact penstemon
Penstemon jaliscensis B.L.Rob.
Penstemon minutifolius Straw