[Beardtongues and Penstemons; The Genus Penstemon in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]
Davidson's Penstemon, Davidson's Beardtongue
Penstemon davidsonii var. davidsonii
Synonyms: Penstemon menziesii ssp. davidsonii, Penstemon menziesii ssp. thompsonii
The photo above shows Davidson's penstemon (var. davidsonii) as seen several hundred meters northeast of Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood.................August 29, 2008. Note the bumblebee entering the flower at left.
The photo at right shows Penstemon davidsonii var. davidsonii, Langille
Crags, Mt Hood Wilderness....7/3/92
Characteristics:
Davidson's penstemon is a low, mat-forming penstemon. Its flowering stems are
less than 10 to 15 cm tall. It is a shrubby penstemon.
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.
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.
This penstemon is a nice shrublet for rock gardens!
Habitat:
Davidson's penstemon is found in talus or rocky outcrops in high mountain or alpine areas.
Range:
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.
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A nice mat of Davidson's penstemon in bloom at left on sandy slopes along the Vista Ridge Ski Trail above Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Area.........July 25, 2010. The photo at right shows Davidson's penstemon blooming on sandy slopes along the Timberline Trail #600 between Cloud Cap and Lambertson Butte, Mt. Hood Wilderness.........July 31, 2017.
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Additional close-up views of Davidson's penstemon as seen on sandy slopes along the Vista Ridge Ski Trail above Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Area........July 25, 2010.
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Davidson's penstemon beginning to bloom at left on a gravel bar in the South Fork Conrad Creek about 150 meters uphill from an old pack trail which heads north to Devils Horns, Goat Rocks Wilderness..........July 3, 2016. The photo at right shows Davidson's penstemon blooming on alpine slopes above Mount Hood Meadows Ski Area........July 19, 2017.
Davidson's penstemon in bloom near the summit of Tiffany Mountain, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest......July 27, 2018.
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Davidson's penstemon observed on sand flats high above the Mount Hood Meadows Ski Area, Mt. Hood National Forest......July 4, 2021.
Davidson's penstemon in bloom along the Timberline Trail between the Cloud Cap trailhead and Lambertson Butte, Mount Hood Wilderness.....July 18, 2021.
Penstemon davidsonii var. davidsonii, Langille
Crags, Mt Hood Wilderness........7/3/92.
Paul Slichter