Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to Washington.
Habitat: Open, rocky places from the valleys and plains to moderate elevations in the mountains, and in the scablands in Washington.
Flowers: May-July
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, flies, wasps, hummingbirds
Plants tufted from a stout, branched, and woody base, the stems 1-4 dm. tall; inflorescence always glandular-hairy, the rest of the plant varying from glandular-hairy to glabrous.
Leaves opposite, usually sharply serrate, sometimes most of them entire; basal leaves well-developed, up to 10 cm. long and 2 cm. wide, the blades elliptic to ovate, equaling the petiole; cauline leaves sessile, triangular-ovate to narrowly lanceolate, smaller than the basal leaves.
Inflorescence of several compact verticillasters; calyx 3-6 mm. long, the 5 segments broadly lanceolate; corolla deep blue or lavender, 11-16 mm. long, the tube slightly expanded, 2.5-5 mm. wide at the mouth, the throat paler and marked with guide lines, glandular-hairy externally, the raised portion of the lower lip bearded; pollen sacs glabrous, dehiscent throughout and becoming opposite; staminode with a bearded tip.
Capsule 5-7 mm. long, glabrous.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Penstemon pruinosus in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Penstemon pruinosus checklist entry
OregonFlora: Penstemon pruinosus information
E-Flora BC: Penstemon pruinosus atlas page
CalPhotos: Penstemon pruinosus photos