It prefers the dry, rocky slopes of montane and subalpine environments. As the summer progressed, it flourished along Going-to-the-Sun Road, contributing to the wildflower spectacle that road became. It is named for Scottish naturalist and surgeon David Lyall (1817 - 1895), who first collected a specimen of the plant in 1862, "between Fort Colville and the Rocky Mountains."
The flower's choice of dry habitat, as well the pink to pale lavender flowers and its long, narrow lanceolate leaves make Lyall's Penstemon east to identify, or so it would seem. A little later in the summer, also along Going-to-the-Sun Road, a closer inspection of what I thought was Lyall's Penstemon turned out to be Rockvine Penstemon (P. ellipticus).
I should have known better, in spite of the similarly colored flowers and similar environment. It grew much nearer the ground than did Lyall's Penstemon. Still, I wasn't actually aware it was a different penstemon until my closer inspection, which revealed much small ovalish leaves. And then, when I got up into some higher elevations while hiking, I came upon another penstemon with pink to pale lavender flowers. This one was Mountain Penstemon (P. montanus), and it also grew nearer the ground. And again, the leaves were a tip this was something different; they were oval to lance-shaped and toothed, where those of Rockvine Penstemon were not.
These penstemons were showy, but not the most abundant, contrary to appearances. That distinction went to Yellow Penstemon (P. confertus), a species with clusters of small - to ½" long - flowers. It seemed to be everywhere, and in bloom for weeks and weeks. This was because it grew in meadows and open woods from the valleys to the lower subalpine region, following the season up the mountains.
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