Characteristics:
1. This penstemon is a low, mat-forming penstemon. Its flowering stems are less than 10 to 15 cm tall. It is a shrubby penstemon.
2. The leaves are largely basal, elliptical to almost round, to 1.5 cm long. The leaves are green, hairless, and somewhat thick. There are some stem leaves, but these are much smaller.
3. The inflorescence is a compact, few-flowered raceme. The sepals are green, and narrow to ovate in shape. The corolla is blue to lavender or purple. They are up to 4 cm in length.
Menzies' penstemon is found in talus or rocky outcrops in high mountain or alpine areas.
Penstemon davidsonii is found from coastal British Columbia south to the Olympic Mountains, then south through the Cascades to the California Sierras. A population (variety praeteritus) is also found at high altitude on Steens Mountain, Oregon.
This penstemon is a nice shrublet for rock gardens!