Wilcox's penstemon is a perennial wildflower with one to several narrow stems which rise in a cluster to 100 cm in height. The basal leaves are large, measuring up to 20 cm in length. They are long and elliptical to deltoid in shape, with long petioles which account for about one-half the leaf length. All the leaves are serrately margined. The stem leaves are often as large as those at the base, but lanceolate to heart-shaped with clasping bases.

The inflorescence is a broadly spreading panicle, consisting of up to ten or more flowered cymes. The corolla is blue to purple, with a pale throat and yellow hairs. They are up to 2.3 cm in length. The corolla is definitely two-lipped.

This penstemon is suitable for the rock garden. I do have it growing in my garden on the west side of the Cascades, and it has survived for about 4-5 seasons, although it is covered for about 2-3 months during mid winter.

Wilcox's penstemon is found on rocky slopes to thick forests from the foothills to subalpine elevations in the mountains.

Wilcox's penstemon is found from the Wallowa Mts of northeastern Oregon northward through extreme eastern Washington, eastward through most of Idaho (north of the Snake River) into western Montana.