[Beardtongues and Penstemons: The Genus Penstemon in the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]

Cliff Beardtongue, Cliff Penstemon, Rock Penstemon

Penstemon rupicola

Synonym: Penstemon newberryi var. rupicola

This photo shows rock penstemon as photographed on rock outcrops atop King Mt. in the King Mountain Rock Garden RNA of the Umpqua National Forest.........June 25, 2005.

These two photos show rock penstemons growing in cracks on near vertical rock faces atop King Mt. in the King Mountain Rock Garden RNA of the Umpqua National Forest..........June 25, 2005.

Rock penstemon blooming on rock outcrops at the Sister Rocks, northwest corner of the Trapper Creek Wilderness...........June 22, 2013.

Rock penstemon as seen blooming on rocky, west-facing slopes of Lookout Mountain, Badger Creek Wilderness.........July 4, 2013.

Part of the display of rock penstemon bloom along the Pacific Crest Trail on the edge of a bald about two-thirds of a mile west of Big Huckleberry Mountain as well as atop Big Huckleberry Mountain, Gifford Pinchot National Forest.....June 23, 2024.

Rock penstemons blooming on pumice washes crossing the Plains of Abraham near the Loowit Trail, Mount St. Helens National Monument.......July 13, 2016.Those rock penstemons located on rocky cliffs had bloomed about two weeks previously.

Rock penstemons fading out of bloom on rocky slopes atop Monte Cristo, Gifford Pinchot National Forest......June 18, 2021.

Rock penstemon blooming in profusion along Trail #473 on cliffs above Little Boulder Lake, Mount Hood National Forest..........June 28, 2014.

Rock penstemon blooming at a rock quarry atop Monte Cristo, Monte Cristo Natural Area Preserve......June 21, 2022.

Paul Slichter