PENSTEMON BEARDTONGUE

Author: Pat Green

With over 250 species to chose from penstemon is ideally suited to the west's climate. Most are native to the western states.

Their tubular flowers bloom in many colors, red, purple, blue, white and even yellow. With a height ranging from 4 to 48 inches and a spread of 6 to 36 inches. There is a plant suited to most any garden situation. Low growers for pathways and rock gardens, which are usually the wild varieties. Tall growers for beds and mixed borders.

Penstemon prefer soil that is sandy or gravely but will tolerate soil with excellent drainage in a sunny location. The hybrids particularly like an amended garden soil and regular water. Most are drought hardy. Most are also cold hardy, check your variety as some are not .

Penstemon is usually a short-lived plant of 2-3 years, but reseed readily. Dead heading helps to lengthen their life so energy does not need to be spent on ripening seed. One or two stalks are enough. Reseed best on a gravel mulch. If borders are kept mulched they may not germinate and you would have to grow new seedlings or replace the shorter-lived varieties often. Cuttings can also grow them. Given proper conditions they will flourish with little care. If using as cut flowers sear the stems with a flame, they usually last up to 10 days.

Best features are large selection of species and cultivars. Showy flowers. Variety of bloom time. Most tall species attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Bees, wasps, moths, butterflies, flies and hummingbirds pollinate plants.

Probably the most adaptable and easy to grow is Husker Red. More dependably long-lived in traditional garden conditions. Burgundy foliage with white flowers. It is better to obtain divisions rather than seed to get the true darkest color foliage.

Only about a dozen species are available commercially. Growing from seed is a must. Northern and mountain varieties need cold stratification. Seed pots set out in January will have seedlings in
April. The newest variety is the Mexicali hybrids, adaptable, heat loving with long flowering time. Pikes Peak Purple and Red Rocks have jewel like flower color and are tall. Give them room to grow, as they don't like being crowded.

There are penstemons for the hot desert, cool mountains and windy foothills. They are easier to grow here than anywhere in the world. Aside from irises no garden flower can boast the color range that penstemon offer. With a bloom time from June thru September you could
well have penstemonium in your garden.

WHAT PENSTEMON NEED

• At least six hours of sun daily


• Good air circulation


• Soil well drained, low in organic matter (when planting from containers remove most of soil before setting in the ground)


• Little competition from neighboring plants


• Removal of spent flower stalks to prevent seed formation and keep


• them blooming longer


• Shrubby evergreen species need protection from drying winter winds

Good companion plants are ones with similar growing conditions:

• Yarrow


• Dianthus


• Gaura


• Iris


• Flax


• Daylilly


• Ornamental grasses

American Penstemon Society - bulletins, seed exchanges Sources for plants/seeds (all internet accessible) High Country Gardens Digging Dog Nursery Great Basin Natives Rocky Mountain Rare Plants.

For further reading: Penstemons by Robert Nold (Timber press)

Lifespan: Perennial
Height: 2-4' (60-120 cm)
Flower Color: White or pale pink
Flower Size: N/A
Bloom Season: May-July
Fruit: Capsules with tiny seeds
Conditions: Fields, roadsides, railways; mesic prairies, woods
Sunlight: Full sun
Moisture: Moderately (seasonally) dry