Cardwell’s Penstemon (Penstemon cardwellii)

Boundary Trail, Mt. St. Helen’s National Park, WA,  6/2018.

Yet another brilliantly colored Penstemon, P. cardwellii thrives in thin sandy soils, like the northwest side of Mt. St. Helen’s, where we found a stunning display.  Rising only a few inches helps the flowers stay out of the wind.  What a view it has every day!

Apparently we are not the first to see this mid-summer show:

“Penstemon cardwellii in full bloom. This species grows everywhere in the blast zone of Mt. St. Helens and it’s a sight to see, blooming with red Castilleja species and Lupinus lepidus.” — The Practical Plant Geek

(This and other references to Mt. St. Helen’s helped to confirm this species identification and differentiate it from similar Penstemons, P. fruiticosus and P. davidsonii)

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