penstemon
noun
pen·ste·mon
pen(t)-ˈstē-mən 
ˈpen(t)-stə-
ˈpen(t)-stə-
variants
or less commonly pentstemon
: any of a genus (Penstemon) of perennial, chiefly North American herbs or low shrubs of the plantain family typically with spikes of showy, two-lipped, tubular flowers with two lobes on the upper lip and three lobes on the lower lip : beardtongue
In the pastel planting, pink penstemons with upright spikes of tubular flowers contrast with such mounding plants as pinks …—
Lynn Ocone
Lynn OconeExamples of penstemon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Sutherland Trail offers the best assortment of flowers with poppies, cream cups, lupines, penstemon and desert chicory.
—Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 21 Feb. 2026
Zones: 4 to 9 Mature size: 2 to 5 feet tall x 1.5 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; well-draining soil; light watering
Also known as bearded tongue, penstemon is native to North America and produces large spikes with smaller tubular blooms in a range of colors.
—Haniya Rae, Martha Stewart, 5 Feb. 2026
The common buckeye’s host plants are snapdragon, mimulus, penstemon and plantain.
—Sara Okeefe, Mercury News, 17 Nov. 2025
Come in summer, and you’ll be rewarded with expansive fields of wild flowers, including white and yellow daisies, magenta elephant heads, and deep pink Whipple’s penstemons.
—Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for penstemon
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Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 21 Feb. 2026
Zones: 4 to 9 Mature size: 2 to 5 feet tall x 1.5 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; well-draining soil; light watering
Also known as bearded tongue, penstemon is native to North America and produces large spikes with smaller tubular blooms in a range of colors.
—Haniya Rae, Martha Stewart, 5 Feb. 2026
The common buckeye’s host plants are snapdragon, mimulus, penstemon and plantain.
—Sara Okeefe, Mercury News, 17 Nov. 2025
Come in summer, and you’ll be rewarded with expansive fields of wild flowers, including white and yellow daisies, magenta elephant heads, and deep pink Whipple’s penstemons.
—Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for penstemon
Cite this Entry
“Penstemon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penstemon. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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