Penstemom

Penstemom

Do you want a permanent flower in your garden that requires almost no summer watering, little fertilizer, that crowd out weeds, that blooms early in the spring and continues to bloom into the fall needs very little blossom dead heading?

One of the best perennials that will do this is the PENSTEMON!!

Most of the large flowered type of penstemon will last for years in your garden. When you see hummingbirds getting lost in the large blossoms, you will be hooked for good. The plants can spread and send up flower spikes in multiple colors.  I have the tendency to stake- up the spikes or bring them closer together with a string.  Many penstemon plants in my garden have a variety of colors.  Yes, I can’t resist a new one if it has a new color I don’t have!
Penstemon flowers come in colors of white with pink edges (Apple Blossom), pink and rose pink, red to red-wine, dark to light - blue, shades of purple and blue, and lavender.

The only downside to this beautiful flowering plant is it can disappear from your landscape without notice.  Some varieties do not last as long as others.  I propagate my plants every year so as not to lose any varieties and to keep the plant’ base stems from becoming spindly.

If your plant comes back nicely in the spring, share your propagation with members of your garden club or donate to plant sale.

To keep penstemon blooming all summer, cut the spike about halfway when most of the blossoms have faded.  New blossoms will soon emerge from the next leaf node.

Clumps of penstemon planted among other perennials in your garden, such as summer phlox makes for a happy humming bird garden.

Plant in well-drained soil.  Very little fertilizer is required.

Do you have a garden question?  E-mail giving your name, city where you live to:
rhschuler@verizon.net
Robert H. Schuler, M.G.

GPP# 86, for the week of August 21, 2010