Penstemon davidsonii

Tough, tiny, and absolutely covered in flowers when it blooms, Penstemon davidsonii is a low-growing alpine native that brings serious mountain charm to rock gardens and dry slopes. Mat-forming and quietly evergreen, this little gem hugs the ground at just 4 to 6 inches tall, spreading slowly to form a tidy cushion of glossy, deep-green leaves. Come summer, that cushion erupts in showy lavender-to-purple-violet tubular flowers held just above the foliage — a small plant putting on an outsized show.

Native to subalpine ridges across the Sierra and Cascades, Davidson's Penstemon is built for tough conditions: hot sun, fast-draining soil, and lean, rocky places where most plants give up. It's deeply drought-tolerant once established, deer-resistant, and hardy down to USDA zone 4, making it a wonderful low-water choice for cold-winter gardens. Hummingbirds and native bees flock to the flowers.

Tuck it between stones in a rockery, run it along the front of a sunny border, or use it as a long-lived groundcover where you need something that stays small, stays evergreen, and stays glorious. A treasure for collectors and beginners alike.

We guarantee that the plants we sell are healthy and viable at the time they leave our care.

If a plant arrives in substandard condition, please take clear photographs and contact us within 48 hours of delivery. To ensure eligibility under this guarantee, we strongly encourage you to open and unpack your shipment immediately upon delivery and inspect the plants thoroughly.

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$14.99 flat rate for up to 6 plants is for standard FedEx/UPS Ground shipping to eligible states only. $19.99 for up to 12 plants. Plants being shipped to the following states are sent via Express Mail to help ensure they arrive quickly and healthy. 

(AL, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IN, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VT, VA, WV)
(list of states subject to change seasonally due to extreme heat or cold conditions)

We cannot ship Annie's Annuals plants to P.O. boxes or outside the continental U.S.

Individual plants are shipped in 4" pots and we ship in boxes of 4, 6, 8, or 12 plants per box.

For more details, read our full Ordering and Shipping Policies

Get your plants off to a strong start with our care guide.

Download the Plant Care Guide (PDF)