How about this one?

Here is a link that might be useful: Red Riding Hood

Rouge, that's an excellent suggestion. I actually used to grow that penstemon until winter wet claimed it.

But isnt that the problem a2zmom...you are looking for a penstemon which might be able to put up with a bit more wetness than is traditionally the case with these plants?

(Btw, I was under the assumption that this "Riding Hood" line-up of penstemons were a relatively new introduction...when did you have yours?)

I grew it just a few years ago. And it does put up with more adverse conditions than most penstemons. Its fairly short, so I wouldn't mind trying to find one a bit taller.

The winter I lost it, I lost many, many plants - all my Agastache, my Gaillardia, a whole host of other plants. I'm still in the midst of filling in the holes.

I know this is a very old thread, but I wanted to share my experience in case anyone else is considering this plant.... #1: it's beautiful! #2). It's worked and multiplied for me! I planted it two and a half years ago in medium soil in a sloped terrace so preet good drianage (this area has clay but the previous owners must have amended or had a lot of leaf litter because it's pretty rich soil in the planting beds). I'm zone 4 Minneapolis, sometime protected areas are considered zone 5. I planted two of them: both NOT in what i'd call a zone 5 protected area:. It gets constant wind off a small lake, and nowhere near any warm house walls. This first year and a half they didn't have irrigation- which I thought would be ok with infrequent watering since I read that they like drier conditions. The one that only got later day sun 2-8pm) got smaller and I thought I'd almost lost it on summer #2. The one that gets sun from 11-6 did better and bloomed but by August was dried up and ratty looking. Late last summer I put in drip irrigation:. At most every other day but if the temps are cool and/or we've had any rain it doesn't run. Also come October I turn it off- I believe this penstemon and many of most of the other plants I have are more prone to winter death if the go into it too well hydrated. Both of them came back happier with more frequent watering. I just decided to move them, and the "sun from 11-6" one was big enough and/ or spread and/or seeded to give me two nice sized plants and one small one. The less sunny (or later in the day sun) one was still small and never flowered.

So my two cents on 2.5 years here:. Water more thn you'd think for an arid plant, and make sure it gets hot baking mid-day sun.

Engrgirl, Are you talking about Penstemon Red Riding Hood? Just curious, because you didn't mention the Penstemon you were referring to by name. If so, I was just reading about it online and it sounds like a good one. Can you tell me if it keeps the upright habit it is said to have? I try to avoid the sorts with a tendency to be lax.

Sorry I guess I did forget to say what type I was talking about! Yes, it is the Red Riding Hood Penstemon. For me, a couple of the flower stalks that are taller need staking, but some of the shorter ones don't. Also this is in an area that gets a lot of wind off of a lake: during a big storm 40-50 mph winds aren't uncommon a few times a year. My taller gaillardia and iris over 20" tall also get knocked over and have since been relocated to the back where they stay upright. I moved my Red Riding Hood Penstemon this year so they may get a tiny bit less wind due to the terrace walls configuration, but they are still in a windy area so I guess I just figure staking is something I may have to do for them. Or if you have suggestions of "stiffer" ones that can survive zone 4/5, I'm open to suggestions or trades to try other types (and, my garden color scheme is evolving a bit so hot pink or purplish pinks also work better than reds for me now!)

Echolane, did the nursery you purchased from have any info on what's going on with the cultivar and why it's hard to find ? You certainly make it sound desirable! I've never grown penstemon.