Markagunt Penstemon

Left image
Closeup of purple Markagunt Penstemon flower.

Right image
Cluster of purple Markagunt Penstemon flowers.

Markagunt Penstemon - Penstemon leiophyllus

This is the most common species of native Penstemon in the Monument. It forms fields of blue – lavender flowers that cover upland meadows from July to August. It occurs from the lower Pinyon Pine-Juniper Forest zone at about 6,000 feet in elevation to ridgetops above 10,000 feet.

This species is endemic to Utah’s Markagunt Plateau which means that it is found nowhere else in the world. The scientific name "Penstemon" refers to the fact that the flowers have five stamens. Another common name for this group of plants, "beardtongues", refers to the fact that one of the five stamens does not bear pollen but is covered with hairs or “bearded”.