11) Penstemon and other Scrophulariaceae

This from seed from the exchange marked P. procerus v. tolmei. Seems tpo fit the general description from Penstemon l, but a little confusing as they state that tolmnei is a synonym for procerus?

I grew "penstemon cardwellii" from seed of last year's exchange. The resulting plants are blooming beautifully now - but I don't think they are the correct species, at least judging from the description at the APS site and several photos (including one in the gallery here). Any idea what I have on my hands? I have close-up photos of the flowers, if that would help with ID.

The Penstemon alamosensis, grown from Alplains seed last year, have wintered over nicely, and I'm looking forward to the possibility, at least, of them blooming this year. It seems that quite a large range of penstemon species is impressively hardy, growable, and even long-lived, in these dry, low humidity prairie conditions.

It is to my amazement that no one has yet posted a thread on this most-sought-after of penstemons, Penstemon whippleanus, so here goes.
It took years of trying, but I finally hit it right - the seedex seeds actually turned out to be P. whippleanus - not the finest, darkest colour, perhaps, but a breakthrough, nonetheless! :D

Penstemon hirsutus is one of the easy "Eastern Penstemons" native to much of eastern USA (except the most southerly States) and eastern Canada. Synonymy includes P. pubecsens, P. hirsutus var. pygmaeus, P. hirsutus var.

Penstemon confertus is a plant of meadows and open woods here, according to Flora of Alberta. The common name always throws me, as the numerous plants in my yard, all are white-flowered! I can sometimes imagine a very faintly yellowish tone, but I find it puzzling that the above-mentioned reference refers to the corolla as "sulfur-yellow"... ? What am I missing? ???

Penstemon nitidus, a western beauty... it is happy and long-lived here in garden conditions (which probably makes sense, as it is locally native).

This is 'Shades of Mango'--that incredible hybrid produced (I think) by David Salman at High Country Gardens. He sent it to me years ago, and I got a miserable orangy thing that disappointed (and wondered if he'd lost his mind). Then I got husky plants from Kelly Grummons at Timberline and planted them out. For year or two they thrived on my dry garden, and then started to go haywire--parts of them turning orange rather than mango shades, and finally reverting to generic and not terribly exciting pinifolius...