The plants often commonly called Border Penstemons or Bedding Penstemons. The Border Penstemon do best in full sun along the coast with some light shade inland and tolerate and even thrive in poor soils and alkalinity but require relatively good drainage. They endure very dry conditions in cooler coastal gardens but plants look better with occasional irrigation and require it in hotter inland gardens. Considered hardy to below 15 F and even below 0° F if soils are not wet.