Red Rocks Penstemon is a hybrid that pulls together the large-flowered traits of Mexican and Californian species while inheriting the cold hardiness necessary to thrive in gardens north of its parents' native range. The result is a bushy, 1 to 3 foot mound of dark semievergreen foliage covered in clusters of red tubular flowers that begin in spring and continue reblooming through fall — a genuinely long-season performer that earns its place in a mixed border.

Like all penstemons, it demands well-drained soil in full sun and will not tolerate standing water around its crown in winter. The deep taproot makes plants drought tolerant once established and also means they resist transplanting, so choose the planting location carefully from the start. Deer leave it alone, hummingbirds and bees find it reliably, and its compact form suits a rock garden, container, or the front of a pollinator meadow planting.