Penstemon
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- PEN-stem-on
- Description
-
Penstemon is a genus of herbaceous perennial wildflowers containing 281 species of dramatically beautiful, tall, slender plants in the plantain family. It is the largest genus of flowering plants native to North America. Species vary widely in size (1 inch to 9 feet), habit (mat, shrub, herbaceous perennial), leaf shape (entire, toothed, broad to narrow), and flower color (purple, yellow, white, and rarely red). A common distinguishing feature is the corolla; five petals in the shape of an open tube containing two pairs of fertile stamen and a fifth sterile stamen. The genus name Penstemon comes from the Latin word for "almost" or "nearly" and the Greek stemon meaning "stamen" referring to the sterile stamen common to members of this genus.
Penstemon plants tend to do best sited in full sun and well-drained soil. In general, propagation is by seed sown in late summer. Cuttings can be taken in summer, or groups of plants can be divided.
Wildlife Value: Seeds attract songbirds. Members of the genus Penstemon are good nectar plants and support the specialized bee Osmia (Melanosmia) distincta.
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Juniper Level Botanic Garden: Parking Lot Berms Juniper Level Botanic Garden: Souto Sun Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Dark Towers'
- 'Husker Red'
Maroon foliage and light pinkish flowers
P. australis
P. cobaea
Penstemon canescens (Eastern Gray Beardtongue)
1 to 3 feet tall, delicate grayish-green stems, grayish-green leaves, pale to dark purple tubular flowers on a raceme Penstemon digitalis (Tall White Beardtongue)
Penstemon laevigatus (Eastern Smooth Beardtongue)
1 to 4 feet tall, green to burgundy, smooth stems, dark green leaves, raceme of pale purple tubular blooms P. smallii
- 'Dark Towers'
- 'Dark Towers', 'Husker Red', P. australis, P. cobaea, Penstemon canescens (Eastern Gray Beardtongue), Penstemon digitalis (Tall White Beardtongue), Penstemon laevigatus (Eastern Smooth Beardtongue), P. smallii
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Dark Towers'
- 'Husker Red'
Maroon foliage and light pinkish flowers
P. australis
P. cobaea
Penstemon canescens (Eastern Gray Beardtongue)
1 to 3 feet tall, delicate grayish-green stems, grayish-green leaves, pale to dark purple tubular flowers on a raceme Penstemon digitalis (Tall White Beardtongue)
Penstemon laevigatus (Eastern Smooth Beardtongue)
1 to 4 feet tall, green to burgundy, smooth stems, dark green leaves, raceme of pale purple tubular blooms P. smallii
- 'Dark Towers'
- 'Dark Towers', 'Husker Red', P. australis, P. cobaea, Penstemon canescens (Eastern Gray Beardtongue), Penstemon digitalis (Tall White Beardtongue), Penstemon laevigatus (Eastern Smooth Beardtongue), P. smallii
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Penstemon
- Family:
- Plantaginaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Northern Canada, Mexico, Southwestern USA
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Wildflower
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
-
-
Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Hairs Present:
- No
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Pollinator Garden
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Specialized Bees
