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Compactum is hands down one of the very best native wildflowers for water-wise gardens. This tiny shrub has a profusion of bright scarlet flowers in late spring and tidy, tight growing branches of evergreen pine needle-like leaves. Perfect for borders or accenting larger perennials. Drought resistant/drought tolerant plant (xeric).
To determine if a plant is sufficiently cold hardy, the USDA created numbered zones indicating winter low
temperatures; the lower the zone number the colder the winter.
If the coldest winter temperature expected in your area is -15°F (zone 5) then any plants rated zones 3-5 will
survive the winter temperatures in your area.
If you live in very warm winter areas (zones 9-11) plants with zones 3-4 ratings are not recommended. The lack
of freezing winter temperatures do not provide a time for winter dormancy (rest).
10" tall x 12" wide (cutting/seed propagated). This little scarlet wonder is a delightful dwarf version of the larger, more familiar Pineleaf Penstemon. The tiny evergreen needle-like leaves and short wiry stems form a tidy shrublet that seems to catch fire when the intense scarlet flowers smother the plant in late spring. Compact Pineleaf Penstemon blooms many weeks before the larger orange-flowered Pineleaf Penstemon.
Flat of 9 plants will cover 9 square feet when planted together
More Information
Associated SKUs
HC016188 HC014204 (Plant - 2.5" Pot) - Out of stock. HC014205 (Plant - 3" Pot) - Out of stock. HC014206 (Plant - 5" Deep Pot) - Out of stock. HC015743 (Tray of 9) - Out of stock.
Common Name
Compact Pineleaf Beardtongue
Botanical Name
Penstemon pinifolius 'Compactum'
Zones
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Light Requirements
Full Sun
Flower Color
Red
Mature Height
10" tall
Mature Spread
12" wide
Bloom Time
Late spring to early summer
Ships As
Potted Plant
Evergreen Foliage
Yes
Soil Type
Average Soil, Sandy Soil
Soil Moisture
Waterwise
Advantages
Bee Friendly, Attract Butterflies, Attract Hummingbirds, Attract Birds, Native, Evergreen, Easy To Grow, Good For Containers, Plants For Small Spaces, Good Rockgarden Or Alpine Plant, Rabbit Resistant
Ideal Region
West, Southwest, Pacific Northwest, Suitable Above 7000 ft
Penstemon are generally evergreen and have beautiful flowers that are very attractive to hummingbirds. Most varieties are rabbit resistant.
They need “elbow room,” maximum sun, heat and don’t like to be crowded by other plants.
Plant only in well-drained soils; clay soils and Penstemon are incompatible.
Avoid overly enriched soils; too much compost and fertilizer will shorten their lifespan.
They establish quickly and the amount and frequency of watering needs to be reduced after about 8 to 10 weeks to create dry conditions.
When using drip irrigation, be sure to put the emitter off to the side of the plant, not right on top of the root ball to avoid overwatering the plant.
Plant high, leaving the top of the rootball just above the surrounding soil to avoid burying the crown of the plant.
Mulch with gravel or pine needles in arid climates. No mulch is needed where conditions are moister. Always avoid bark, grass clippings, or compost as mulch materials.
Allow some of the plants to set seed (don't deadhead all of the flower spikes)*.
*To keep penstemon that have finely textured or matted evergreen foliage looking their best, you'll want to 'deadhead" them. Shear off the fading flowering spikes just as the plant is going out of flower. Gently bunch the flower spikes together with one hand and cut them off at the point where they go down into the mat of foliage with your clipper in your other hand. Recommended for the following varieties: P. pinifolius types (‘Compactum', ‘Mersea Yellow', ‘Nearly Red', ‘Magdalena Sunshine' and ‘Tall Orange Mix'), as well as Penstemon linarioides v. coloradensis and Penstemon virens ('Blue Lips').
View more Planting Guides, or download our complete Planting Guide for tips on caring for your plants when you receive your order, as well as planting instructions for Perennials, Spring-Planted Bulbs, Fall-Planted Bulbs, Cacti & Succulents, Xeric Plants and more.
Shipping
No longer available this season.
As soon as your order is placed you will receive a confirmation email. You will receive a second email the day your order ships telling you how it has been sent. Some perennials are shipped as potted plants, some as perennial roots packed in peat. The ‘Plant Information’ section describes how that item will ship. All perennials and spring-planted bulbs are packaged to withstand shipping and are fully-guaranteed. Please open upon receipt and follow the instructions included.
Perennials and spring-planted bulbs are shipped at the proper planting time for your hardiness zone. Perennial and spring-planted bulb orders will arrive separately from seeds. If your order requires more than one shipment and all items are shipping to the same address, there is no additional shipping charge. See our shipping information page for approximate ship dates and more detailed information. If you have any questions, please call Customer Service toll-free at (800) 925-9387 or contact us by email.
Shipping Rates
Our shipping rates are calculated based on our actual average shipping costs. We do not seek to profit from shipping fees, so rest assured that our shipping rates reflect an average of what it costs to get our guaranteed products safely to your door.
US Shipping Charges
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$100 and Over
$18.99
Canadian Shipping Charges
Merchandise
Shipping Charges
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$19.95
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$39.95
We charge one low flat rate for shipping our products even if your order requires multiple shipments. If you have any questions, please call us at (800) 925-9387.
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