DENVER (KDVR) — A rare plant with only seven known populations can be found in Colorado, and over the years, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has been able to find it on cliffs and tough terrain.
It’s known as the Parachute penstemon, and CPW said it grows on steep shale fields of western Colorado. They’re not only rare to find — with some populations requiring rock climbing and drones to get to — but they’re also scarce, with only seven known populations in the state.
While CPW said they’re “exceptionally rare,” in previous surveys done in past years, a CPW spokesperson said they found the plant in cliffs north of Parachute, although hikers won’t be able to see it as it’s on private land.
That said, there are other locations the plant has been spotted, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service records. The wildlife service said there could also be more in inaccessible areas, as the CPW spokesperson said it’s impossible to know every plant in the state.
The plant is also known as Parachute beardtongue, and the wildlife service said it grows on “natural physical disturbance,” like steep slopes and unstable surface layers of shale rubble. It has been seen on Roan Plateau above the Colorado River and the town of Parachute.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
