Scientific Name:
Penstemon
cvs.
Pronunciation:
pen-STEE-mun
Common Name:
beard tongue
Family Name:
Plantaginaceae
Plant Type:
Herbaceous perennial
Key ID Features:
Leaves opposite, sessile, lanceolate, commonly 4-6cm long x 7-15mm wide; inflorescence panicle-like with cymose branching (thyrse), florets tubular, funnel-shaped, 5-7cm long x 4-5cm wide, .
Habit:
Arching, Open, Spreading
Form:
Round
Texture:
Medium - fine
Mature Height:
0.4 - 0.7m
Mature Spread:
0.6 - 1.0m
Growth Rate:
Fast
Origin:
Garden origin
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 7: (-18 to -12 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade, Filtered shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Humus rich, Well-drained
Water Use:
Low
Landscape Uses:
Attract beneficial insects, Attract birds, Attract butterflies, Container planting, Cut flower or foliage, Fall interest, Group or mass planting, Mixed shrub border, Perennial border, Summer interest
Additional Info:
Google. Cultivars shown or on campus may include
P. 'Andenken an Friedrich Hahn’,
P. 'Dark Towers',
P. 'Papal Purple',
P. 'Phoenix Magenta',
P. 'Rich Ruby', and
P. 'Snowstorm'.
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Opposite, Sessile
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Colour in Fall:
Green, Purple
Shapes:
Lanceolate
Apices:
Acute
Bases:
Rounded
Margins:
Serrulate
Inflorescence Type:
Thyrse, Floriferous, Panicle-like
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
5
Corolla Shape:
Bilabiate
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Showy, White, Blue, Violet, Purple, Pink, Red, Dark-red
Flower Scent:
None
Flower Time at Peak:
Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
Fruit Type:
Capsule
Fruit Colour:
Green, Brown
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Oct, Nov
Additional Info:
Not showy
Bark or Stem Colour:
Green, Red
Propagation:
Softwood cuttings, Layering
Maintenance:
Low
Pest Susceptibility:
Slugs or snails (Rabbit resistant, Drought tolerant)
