Penstemon - maybe P grandiflorus??? (I am not very familiar with Penstemons.)

Thanks, Flora......you say you are not very familiar with Pentstemons, but obviously you know them better than I! I checked a number of pictures and I think you have identified this species for sure....the foliage seems very distinctive. I never would have found this one on my own.

Thanks very much! I wish you a wonderful gardening season this year!

Bob

This is penstemon buckleii-a wild species. Send me your e-mail and I will send you a better pic. I can also supply you with some seeds. I have a great pic my daughter just sent me from WY, but I don't know how to get it on here.

I have already said, I am not very familiar with Penstemons, but info I have found on Penstemon buckleyi (nb sp.) does not look like the OP's plant. The flowers are entirely different.

Here is a link that might be useful: P buckleyi

Flora That is exactly the same plant. The shape and arrangement of leaves are the same as are the shape of the buds. The only thing different is that the OP's picture did not have a blossom straight on and were mostly buds

Fair enough - I just don't see the resemblance. I can see the similarity in the leaves but to me it looks as if most of the flowers in the OP's photo are fading old flowers, not buds. They seem far larger than P buckleyi which appears to have much denser, shorter petioled whorls. But as I said, I don't know Penstemons and pictures are notoriously misleading. Maybe the OP's picture is slightly etiolated and in a foreshortened focus.

Looks like a penstemon to me as well. Some of the blossoms have faded and some are just opening. I don't have this variety and like how the foliage reminds me of eucalyptus.

mnwsgal - you're right there's no doubt it's a Penstemon. It was only the particular species that was under discussion.