I've grown Huskers Red for several years and it doesn't seem fragile at all. I've moved it several times and it did OK in all the places I tried it. Last year I put it in a bed with rocky clayish soil on a slope and it is doing the best ever this year. What variety did you buy?
Anise

Mine is white flowers. I think...there are several different kinds of Penstemon plants. We will need to google and check about it. I grow three of them for about three years now. They grows about two feet tall. One is in a pretty bad shape. The leaves has brown spots. It grows in raised bed near vegetables. I will need to cut it down. Other one grows under shade with hostas. The stems are weak and fall down. I will need to move it to full sun. Other one grows near butterfly bush and roses, and likes loam dirt and drainage. It is so pretty and big! I wish I have Red Husker Penstemon. I saw it somewhere in the magazine. It is very pretty plant. Kat

Sorry to take so long to get back to this. I was going to try to find the tags for the ones I bought and then forgot. This spring I purchased Pikes Peak Purple and Violet Dusk. The first one was already flopping over when I bought it. A couple of the flower stems have broken off and it doesn't look too good but maybe it will look better with time. Violet Dusk is blooming nicely though.
I already had Husker Red. I forgot about that one. The foliage is pretty in the spring but it gets kind of spotty and ragged looking later in the summer. Maybe that's one that looks better in magazines. lol I have three volunteer seedlings from it this year, the first time I've ever gotten any. Wonder if they'll be similar to the parent. The leaves look a little purplish but I can't tell if they're going to be as dark.
Red Rocks is one I'd like to try. I think hummingbirds are supposed to like it.