It's good to see another penstemon that does well here. I had never heard of this one. I grew up in the southern plains within a days drive of the Rockies and penstemons did very well out there. I miss them.

I've never been to the Rockies (yet). I'd love to see a field of the pentstemon strictus in bloom. I bet all that blue is a sight to behold. Penstemon smallii is native to the southeastern US and blooms in May.

wow. i need to move mine to full sun then. I'd say the one I got from you in the spring has quadrupled it's size but nothing like that...AMAZING. Is that a salvia behind it?

No, not a salvia... There's a rose crawling out from the bottom of the clump, but anything thats not pink rose in the picture is purplish smallii. That clump got to about 2 1/2 ft tall when it flowered.

I think it is the catmint or something.

You're right, that is catmint... (I had to enlarge the picture on my phone to see it sticking out on the left.) Sorry for for the confusion.

P. smallii is my favorite, but it is a short lived perennial, so I always try to get seeds to keep it going. P. digitalis is longer lived and taller, but I like P. smallii so much more.

Wow! Is that normal for it to get so big? I have several babies....maybe I better move them. Yours is beautiful! :)

Thanks Carolinaflowerlover! It was about 2 1/2 ft tall when it flowered... I kneeled down to take the picture which might have made the plants look taller, LOL.

Lol I am not sure if I am relieved or disappointed it is not as tall as it looks. The 2.5 feet still sounds great, though. I am even more excited that this is in NC. Did yours bloom second year? Thanks!

Yes.. I wintersowed the seeds and they sprouted last spring, made a little clump of leaves by end of year, stayed green all winter, then bloomed this spring.

Penstemons are great for winter sowing. My P. smallii don't get so tall, but they are in places where we don't water, and recently we have not had enough rain.