Species in the genus Penstemon are commonly called penstemons or beardtongues in English, and they will often have a common name based on either. As the subgenuses have some taxonomic uncertainty, the species are arranged alphabetically by name in the lists. , there are species and seven natural hybrids, according to Plants of the World Online (POWO). The database World Flora Online (WFO) regards all the species listed by POWO as valid, but additionally lists two natural hybrids as species and four additional species as valid.
Penstemon species These species of Penstemon are considered valid by both World Flora Online (WFO) and Plants of the World Online (POWO), with the exception of Penstemon grandiflorus. In both POWO and WFO, it is regarded as a synonym of Penstemon bradburyi. However, P. grandiflorus continues to be widely used as the correct species name in North America, including by the Flora of North America and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS database (PLANTS). It is listed as P. grandiflorus in the table with the synonym noted.
Scientific nameCommon namesPhotoPenstemon abietinusFirleaf penstemonPenstemon absarokensisAbsaroka Range penstemonPenstemon acaulisstemless penstemonPenstemon acuminatussharpleaf penstemonPenstemon alamosensisAlamo penstemonPenstemon albertinusAlberta penstemonPenstemon albiduswhite penstemonPenstemon albifluvisWhite River penstemonPenstemon albomarginatuswhite-margined penstemonPenstemon ambiguusbush penstemon gilia penstemonPenstemon ammophilussandloving penstemonPenstemon amphorellaePenstemon angelicusPenstemon anguineusSiskiyou penstemonPenstemon angustifoliusnarrowleaf penstemonPenstemon arenariussanddune penstemonPenstemon arenicolaRed Desert penstemonPenstemon aridusstiffleaf penstemonPenstemon arkansanusArkansas penstemonPenstemon atropurpureusPenstemon attenuatussulphur penstemonPenstemon atwoodiiKaiparowits penstemonPenstemon auriberbisColorado penstemonPenstemon australisEustis Lake penstemonPenstemon azureusazure penstemonPenstemon baccharifoliusbaccharisleaf penstemonPenstemon barbatusgolden-beard penstemon beardlip penstemonPenstemon barnebyiBarneby's penstemon White River Valley penstemonPenstemon barrettiaeBarrett's penstemonPenstemon bicolorpinto penstemonPenstemon bleaklyibleakly penstemonPenstemon bolaniusPenstemon bracteatusRed Canyon penstemonPenstemon breviculusshortstem penstemonPenstemon brevisepalusshort-sepaled penstemonPenstemon buckleyibuckley penstemonPenstemon caesiusSan Bernardino penstemonPenstemon caespitosusmat penstemonPenstemon calcareuslimestone penstemonPenstemon californicusCalifornia penstemonPenstemon calycosuslongsepal penstemonPenstemon campanulatusbellflower penstemonPenstemon canescenseastern gray penstemonPenstemon cardinaliscardinal penstemonPenstemon cardwelliiCardwell's penstemonPenstemon carnosusfleshy penstemonPenstemon caryiCary's beardtonguePenstemon centranthifoliusscarlet buglerPenstemon cerrosensisCedros island penstemonPenstemon cinicolaash penstemonPenstemon clevelandiiCleveland's penstemonPenstemon cluteiSunset Crater penstemonPenstemon cobaeacobaea penstemonPenstemon comarrhenusdusty penstemonPenstemon concinnusTunnel Springs penstemonPenstemon confertusyellow penstemonPenstemon confususmistaken penstemonPenstemon crandalliiCrandall's penstemonPenstemon curtiflorusPenstemon cusickiiCusick's penstemonPenstemon cyananthusWasatch penstemonPenstemon cyaneusblue penstemonPenstemon cyanocaulisbluestem penstemonPenstemon cyathophoruscupped penstemon Middle Park penstemonPenstemon dasyphyllusgrama grass penstmon Gila penstemonPenstemon davidsoniiDavidson's penstemon timberline penstemonPenstemon deamiiDeam's penstemonPenstemon deaveriMount Graham penstemon Deaver's PenstemonPenstemon debilisParachute penstemonPenstemon degeneriDegener's penstemonPenstemon deustusscabland penstemonPenstemon digitalistalus slope penstemon foxglove beardtonguePenstemon diphyllustwoleaf beardtonguePenstemon discolorCatalina penstemonPenstemon dissectusdissected penstemonPenstemon distansMt. Tumbull penstemonPenstemon doliusJones's penstemonPenstemon dugesiiPenstemon duchesnensisDuchesne penstemonPenstemon eatoniiEaton's penstemon firecracker penstemonPenstemon elegantulusrockvine penstemonPenstemon ellipticuseggleaf penstemon rocky ledge penstemonPenstemon eriantherusfuzzytongue penstemonPenstemon euglaucusglaucous beardtonguePenstemon eximiusextrodinary penstemon unusual beardtonguePenstemon fasciculatusPenstemon fendlerifendler penstemonPenstemon filiformisthreadleaf beardtonguePenstemon filisepalisPenstemon flavescenshigh mountain penstemonPenstemon floribundusCordillia's penstemonPenstemon floridusPanamint beardtongue Panamint penstemonPenstemon flowersiiFlowers' beardtonguePenstemon frankliniiFranklin's penstemonPenstemon fremontiiFremont penstemonPenstemon fruticiformisDeath Valley penstemonPenstemon fruticosusGreene bush penstemonPenstemon gairdneriGairdner's penstemonPenstemon galloensisPenstemon gentianoidesgentian penstemonPenstemon gentryiPenstemon gibbensiiGibbens' beardtonguePenstemon glabersawsepal penstemonPenstemon glandulosusstickystem penstemonPenstemon glaucinusblueleaf beardtonguePenstemon globosusglobe penstemonPenstemon goodrichiiLapoint penstemonPenstemon gormaniiYukon penstemonPenstemon gracilentusslender penstemonPenstemon gracilislilac penstemon slender penstemonPenstemon grandiflorus Penstemon bradburyilarge flower penstemon shell-leaf penstemonPenstemon grahamiiUinta Basin beardtonguePenstemon griffiniiGriffin's penstemonPenstemon grinnelliiGrinnell's beardtonguePenstemon guadalupensisGuadalupe beardtonguePenstemon halliiHall's penstemonPenstemon harbouriiHarbour's beardtonguePenstemon harringtoniiHarrington's penstemonPenstemon hartwegiiHartweg's beardtonguePenstemon havardiiBig Bend beardtonguePenstemon haydeniiblowout beardtongue blowout penstemonPenstemon henricksoniiPenstemon hesperiustall western penstemonPenstemon heterodoxusSierra beardtongue Sierra penstemonPenstemon heterophyllusbunchleaf penstemonPenstemon hidalgensisPenstemon hirsutushairy beardtonguePenstemon humilislow beardtongue low penstemonPenstemon idahoensisIdaho penstemonPenstemon imberbisPenstemon immanifestusSteptoe Valley beardtongue Steptoe Valley penstemonPenstemon incertusMojave beardtonguePenstemon inflatusinflated beardtonguePenstemon isophyllusequal-leaved penstemonPenstemon jamesiiJames penstemon James' beardtonguePenstemon janishiaeAntelope Valley beardtongue Janish's penstemonPenstemon kingiiKing's beardtongue King's penstemonPenstemon kraliiPenstemon labrosusSan Gabriel beardtonguePenstemon laetusmountain blue penstemonPenstemon laevigatuseastern smooth beardtonguePenstemon laevissouthwestern beardtongue southwestern penstemonPenstemon lanceolatuslanceleaf penstemonPenstemon laricifoliuslarchleaf beardtonguePenstemon laxiflorusnodding beardtonguePenstemon laxustufted penstemonPenstemon leiophyllussmoothleaf beardtongue smoothleaf penstemonPenstemon lemhiensisLemhi penstemonPenstemon lentushandsome beardtongue handsome penstemonPenstemon leonardiiLeonard's beardtongue Leonard's penstemonPenstemon leonensisPenstemon linarioidescreeping penstemon toadflax penstemonPenstemon longifloruslongflower penstemonPenstemon luteusPenstemon lyalliiLyall's beardtonguePenstemon marcusiiMarcus' beardtonguePenstemon mensarumtiger beardtonguePenstemon metcalfeiMetcalfe's beardtonguePenstemon miniatusPenstemon miserMalheur penstemonPenstemon moffatiiMoffatt's beardtonguePenstemon mohinoranusCerro Mohinora penstemonPenstemon monoensisMono penstemonPenstemon montanuscordroot beardtonguePenstemon moriahensisMount Moriah penstemon Mt. Moriah beardtonguePenstemon mucronatusmucronate penstemonPenstemon multiflorusmanyflower beardtonguePenstemon murrayanusscarlet beardtonguePenstemon nanusdwarf beardtonguePenstemon navajoaNavajo Mountain beardtonguePenstemon neomexicanusNew Mexico beardtonguePenstemon neotericusPlumas County beardtonguePenstemon newberryimountain pride pride-of-the-mountainsPenstemon nitiduswaxleaf penstemonPenstemon nudiflorusFlagstaff penstemonPenstemon occiduusPenstemon oklahomensisOklahoma beardtongue Oklahoma penstemonPenstemon oliganthusApache penstemonPenstemon ophianthusArizona beardtongue coiled anther penstemonPenstemon osterhoutiiOsterhout's beardtonguePenstemon ovatuseggleaf beardtonguePenstemon pachyphyllusthickleaf beardtongue thickleaf penstemonPenstemon pahutensisPahute penstemon Paiute beardtonguePenstemon palliduspale beardtonguePenstemon palmeriPalmer's penstemon Palmer penstemonPenstemon papillatusInyo beardtonguePenstemon parryiGray Parry penstemon Parry's beardtonguePenstemon parvulusAquarius Plateau beardtonguePenstemon parvusAquarius Plateau penstemonPenstemon patensLone Pine beardtongue Lone Pine penstemonPenstemon payettensisPayette beardtonguePenstemon paysoniorumPayson's beardtonguePenstemon peckiiPeck's beardtonguePenstemon penlandiiKremling beardtongue Kremling penstemonPenstemon pennellianusBlue Mountain beardtonguePenstemon perfoliatusPenstemon perpulcherMinidoka beardtonguePenstemon personatusclosethroat beardtonguePenstemon petiolatuscrevice penstemonPenstemon pinifoliuspineleaf penstemonPenstemon pinorumPine Valley penstemonPenstemon plagapineuspine-land penstemonPenstemon platyphyllusbroadleaf beardtongue broadleaf penstemonPenstemon potosinusSan Luis Potosi penstemonPenstemon pratensiswhiteflower beardtongue western whiteflower penstemonPenstemon proceruslittleflower penstemon pincushion beardtonguePenstemon pruinosusChelan beardtonguePenstemon pseudoputusKaibab Plateau beardtonguePenstemon pseudospectabilisdesert penstemonPenstemon pudicusbashful penstemon Kawich Range beardtonguePenstemon pumilusSalmon River beardtonguePenstemon punctatusPenstemon purpusiiSnow Mountain beardtonguePenstemon putusBlack River beardtonguePenstemon radicosusmatroot penstemonPenstemon rattaniiRattan's beardtonguePenstemon reidmoraniiReid Moran's penstemonPenstemon retrorsusAdobe Hills penstemonPenstemon rhizomatosusSchell Creek penstemonPenstemon richardsoniicutleaf beardtonguePenstemon roezliiRoezl's penstemonPenstemon roseuspinto penstemonPenstemon rostriflorusbeaked beardtongue beakflower penstemon Bridge penstemonPenstemon rotundifoliusroundleaf penstemonPenstemon rubicundusWassuck penstemon Wassuk Range beardtonguePenstemon rupicolacliff beardtonguePenstemon rydbergiimeadow beardtongue Rydberg penstemon Rydberg's penstemonPenstemon salmonensisPenstemon saltariusPenstemon saxosorumupland penstemonPenstemon scapoidespinyon beardtonguePenstemon scariosusplateau penstemonPenstemon schaffnerijarritos penstemonPenstemon secundiflorussidebells penstemonPenstemon seorsusshortlobe penstemonPenstemon sepaluluslittlecup beardtonguePenstemon serrulatusserrulate penstemonPenstemon smalliiSmall's beardtonguePenstemon spatulatusWallowa penstemonPenstemon speciosusroyal penstemonPenstemon spectabilisshowy penstemonPenstemon stenophyllusSonoran beardtonguePenstemon stephensiiStephens' penstemonPenstemon strictiformisMancos penstemon stiff penstemonPenstemon strictusRocky Mountain beardtongue Rocky Mountain penstemonPenstemon subglabersmooth penstemonPenstemon subserratusfinetooth beardtonguePenstemon subulatushackberry beardtonguePenstemon sudansSusanville beardtongue Susanville penstemonPenstemon superbussuperb beardtonguePenstemon tenuifloruseastern whiteflower beardtonguePenstemon tenuifoliusPenstemon tenuissharpsepal beardtonguePenstemon tepicensisPenstemon teucrioidesgermander beardtonguePenstemon thompsoniaeThompson's penstemon Thompson's beardtongue Thompson penstemonPenstemon thurberiThurber's penstemon