Penstemon (Beardtongue)

Describes the various kinds of penstemons and how to grow them.

Penstemon virens
Item # 75795 		Penstemon virens
Blue Mist Beardtongue

each $5.49
3 to 6 plants $5.29
7 or more $4.99
Penstemon 'Elfin Pink'
Item # 75718 		Penstemon barbatus 'Elfin Pink'
Elfin Pink Penstemon

each $7.99
3 to 6 plants $7.79
7 or more $7.59
Penstemon mexicali 'Red Rocks'®
Item # 75796 		Penstemon mexicali 'Red Rocks'™
Red Rocks Hybrid Beardtongue

each $5.49
3 to 6 plants $5.29
7 or more $4.99
Penstemon strictus
Item # 75775 		Penstemon strictus
Rocky Mountain Penstemon

each $7.99
3 to 6 plants $7.79
7 or more $7.59
Penstemon pinifolius
Item # 75767 		Penstemon pinifolius 'Nearly Red'
Nearly Red Pineleaf Beardtongue

each $7.99
3 to 6 plants $7.79
7 or more $7.59
Penstemon pinifolius 'Mersea Yellow'
Item # 75764 		Penstemon pinifolius 'Mersea Yellow'
Yellow Pineleaf Penstemon

each $5.49
3 to 6 plants $5.29
7 or more $4.99
Penstemon palmeri
Item # 75755 		Penstemon palmeri
Pink Wild Snapdragon

each $7.99
3 to 6 plants $7.79
7 or more $7.59
Penstemon x mexicali
Item # 75797 		Penstemon mexicali 'Pikes Peak Purple'
Pikes Peak Purple™ Beardtongue

each $5.49
3 to 6 plants $5.29
7 or more $4.99
Penstemon pseudospectabilis
Item # 75765 		Penstemon pseudospectabilis
Desert Beardtongue

each $7.99
3 to 6 plants $7.79
7 or more $7.59
Penstemon linarioides v. coloradensis
Item # 75746 		Penstemon linarioides v. coloradensis
Colorado Narrowleaf Beardtongue

each $5.49
3 to 6 plants $5.29
7 or more $4.99
Penstemon cardinalis
Item # 75725 		Penstemon cardinalis
Cardinal Beardtongue

each $7.99
3 to 6 plants $7.79
7 or more $7.59
  • Topic: Specific Planting Techniques
  • Author: David Salman
  • Keywords: planting, perennial, Perennials, penstemons, beardtongues
  • Date: June 2005

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An essential plant in any xeriscape, Penstemons are unsurpassed in attracting hummingbirds to your garden. For beginners, we recommend growing a few of the easier species like Rocky Mountain Beardtongue (P. strictus), Pineleaf Beardtongue (P. pinifolius) and the beautiful Penstemon ‘Elfin Pink’.

Because many Penstemons are adapted to harsh Western habitats, it is important to keep a few cultural considerations in mind when bringing them into our gardens:

  1. Plant only in well-drained soils; wet clay soils and Penstemon aren’t compatible. Avoid overly enriched soils; too much compost can shorten their life span.
  2. Plant high, leaving the top of the rootball just above the surrounding soil to avoid burying the crown of the plant.
  3. Avoid bark, grass clippings or compost as mulch materials. These mulches are detrimental to healthy Beardtongues. They will cause disease in wet, cold weather. It is better to leave them non-mulched or use gravel.
  4. Allow to re-seed. Penstemon will sometimes live for only 2 or 3 years (e.g., P. palmeri). To keep them going, allow some of the plants to set seed (don’t deadhead them). The volunteer seedlings will be more vigorous and longer lived than the original parent plant.
  5. Fertilize sparingly. Beardtongues like “tough love” and need only to be fertilized once each year in the fall. Apply a light application of an organic or natural fertilizer. Yum Yum Mix is an excellent fertilizer for Penstemon and other native plants. It has a high trace mineral and phosphorus content while being low in nitrogen.