Small’s Penstemon is a summer blooming with beautiful tubular flowers. These flowers are pinkish-purple on the outside and white in the interior. It makes a lovely ground cover adding beauty not just form the flowers but from the insects that frequent the plant. Butterflies love the tubular flowers. Its habitat is mountainous areas in the Southern US but it is happy here in NY. Very attractive plant for woodland edges or banks. 
 
In the spring the plants start out as a rosette of basal leaves. These leaves are medium green and about 6 to 7 inches long and about an inch wide. These basal leaves turn reddish in the winter. As the plants grows the flower stalks rise above the basal leaves. This stalk has leaves that are opposite each other on the stem. The flowers are at the end of this stalk.
 
Small’s Penstemon grows 12 to 18 inches tall. It likes moist soil and will take sun or partial shade. The tubular flowers attract humming birds, bees, butterflies and other pollinators. 
 
Great companions are Amsonia, creeping Phlox, ferns and sedges. This plant is deer resistant which is a big plus in areas where deer are abundant.