 Although penstemons are among the most attractive native flowers of North America, Europe has traditionally been far more active in their hybridization with hundreds of hybrids developed since the early 19th century.The earliest development is somewhat shrouded in mystery; for instance Flanagan & Nutting's 1835 catalog mentions a 'Penstemon Hybridum' but does not describe it.By 1860, a half-dozen French growers are known to have developed hybrids, most notably Victor Lemoine, while in 1857 the German Wilhelm Pfitzer listed 24 varieties.