The plant is native to the central United States, primarily the Great Plains from Nebraska to Texas, with additional populations in the Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas.

The flowers have a structure reminiscent of a ribcage inside, and can be colored white to dark pink with magenta lines.

[8] The scientific description and name of Penstemon cobaea was published in 1835 by the botanist Thomas Nuttall based on a lecture he presented 5 April 1834 about plants in the Territory of Arkansas.

[9][2] It was given the illegitimate name of Penstemon grandiflorus by Friedrich Gottlieb Dietrich in 1837, having already been correctly described and because Nuttall had already used it for another species in 1813.

[2] The species name, cobea, was selected to honor the Spanish missionary and naturalist Father Bernardo Cobo.

[6] Cobaea beardtongue is native to the plains of the United States from Texas north to Nebraska and east to Arkansas and Iowa.

[11] It also grows in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Illinois, and Ohio, but is listed as an introduced species there by Plants of the World Online.

[2] Penstemon cobaea grows on hillsides, gravel, rocky outcrops, and gypsum soils, and eroded pastures.