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Plants that fill a similar niche:
Viola sororia Viola papilionacea
Penstemon canescens Penstemon canescens
Viola striata Viola striata

Bearded Tongue Penstemon

Phonetic Spelling
PEN-stem-on
Description

Penstemon is a dramatically beautiful, tall, slender plant. The cultivar 'Husker Red' has maroon foliage and light pinkish flowers. Many hybrids of uncertain parentage occur with varying hardiness, so mulch well in winter.

Grow Penstemon plants in full sun and well-drained soil.  To propagate, seed can be sown in late summer, cuttings taken in summer, or they can be divided.

Wildlife Value: Seeds attract songbirds.  Members of the genus Penstemon support the following specialized bee: Osmia (Melanosmia) distincta.

See this plant in the following landscapes:
Juniper Level Botanic Gardens: Parking Lot Berms Juniper Level Botanic Gardens: Souto Sun Garden Juniper Level Botanic Gardens: Parking Lot Berms
Cultivars / Varieties:
'Dark Towers', 'Husker Red', P. australis, P. canescens, P. cobaea, P. digitalis, P. laevigatus, P. smallii
Tags:
#purple#full sun tolerant#perennials#white flowers#wildlife plant#pink flowers#mulch#nectar plant#specialized bees#summer flowers#division#spring interest#pollinator plant#bird friendly#bee friendly
 
Penstemon
Bee Feeding (Wake County,NC) Cathy Dewitt CC BY 4.0
Penstemon
Flowers (Wake County,NC) Cathy Dewitt CC BY 4.0
Penstemon
Form (Wake County,NC) Cathy Dewitt CC BY 4.0
Penstemon
Flower and Leaves (Wake County, NC) Cathy Dewitt CC BY 4.0
Penstemon
Flower Close-up (Wake County, NC)-Late Spring Cathy Dewitt CC BY 4.0
Form
Form 'Dark Towers' Cathy DeWitt CC BY 4.0
Flowers
Flowers 'Dark Towers' Cathy Dewitt CC BY 4.0
Form
Form 'Dark Towers' Cathy Dewitt CC BY 4.0
Flowers - Wake Co., NC
Flowers - Wake Co., NC Cathy DeWitt CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Form - Wake Co., NC
Form - Wake Co., NC Cathy DeWitt CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Cultivars / Varieties:
'Dark Towers', 'Husker Red', P. australis, P. canescens, P. cobaea, P. digitalis, P. laevigatus, P. smallii
Tags:
#purple#full sun tolerant#perennials#white flowers#wildlife plant#pink flowers#mulch#nectar plant#specialized bees#summer flowers#division#spring interest#pollinator plant#bird friendly#bee friendly
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Penstemon
    Family:
    Plantaginaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Seed
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Mexico, Southwestern USA
    Play Value:
    Attracts Pollinators
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Perennial
  • 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:
    5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Orange
    Pink
    Purple/Lavender
    Red/Burgundy
    White
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Summer
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Hairs Present:
    No
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Theme:
    Pollinator Garden
    Attracts:
    Pollinators
    Songbirds
    Specialized Bees