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Blue Lips Penstemon

Penstemon x 'Blue Lips'

$11.19
$11.19 $13.99
per Plant - 2.5" Pot
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ZONES  4-9 | Good to grow! Zone
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• ‘Blue Lips’ is a beautiful selection that blooms in spring with short spikes of blue-lipped, lavender throated flowers
• Shear off the faded flowers to reveal the wonderful blue-gray evergreen foliage
• Drought resistant/drought tolerant plant (xeric)
• A High Country Gardens introduction. 2009 Plant of the Year

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Description

10" tall x 15-18" wide. Give your garden a kiss of blue with Penstemon 'Blue Lips'. Discovered by High Country Gardens chief horticulturist David Salman, this showy hybrid Beardtongue is a delight in the late spring garden with its profuse display of bright blue-lipped, lavender throated flowers. After its month-long flowering display, shear off the faded flower spikes to display the plant's attractive blue-gray mat of needle-like evergreen foliage. A cross between two superb wildflower species, Penstemon crandalii and Penstemon linariodes v. coloradensis, 'Blue Lips' a real gem in the Western garden being a showy, long-lived easy-to-grow hybrid wildflower. Plant it in a full sun site in infertile, well-drained soil. Very resistant to browsing rabbits. Cutting propagated. 2009 Plant of the Year.

Planting & Care

Tips for growing Penstemon (Beardtongue)

Penstemon are generally evergreen and have beautiful flowers that are very attractive to hummingbirds. Most varieties are rabbit resistant.

  1. They need “elbow room,” maximum sun, heat and don’t like to be crowded by other plants.
  2. Plant only in well-drained soils; clay soils and Penstemon are incompatible.
  3. Avoid overly enriched soils; too much compost and fertilizer will shorten their lifespan.
  4. They establish quickly and the amount and frequency of watering needs to be reduced after about 8 to 10 weeks to create dry conditions.
  5. 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.
  6. Plant high, leaving the top of the rootball just above the surrounding soil to avoid burying the crown of the plant.
  7. 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.
  8. Allow some of the plants to set seed (don't deadhead all of the flower spikes)*.
  9. Fertilize sparingly. One time each year in the fall is enough. Apply a light application of an organic or natural fertilizer such as Yum Yum Mix as a top dressing around the plants. Don't use high nitrogen water soluble fertilizer like Miracle Grow.

*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').

More in-depth guidance for growing Penstemon: Growing Penstemon, The Beardtongue Family: Penstemania for Penstemon.

Shipping

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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 fall-planted bulbs are packaged to withstand shipping and are fully-guaranteed. Please open upon receipt and follow the instructions included.

Perennials and fall-planted bulbs are shipped at the proper planting time for your Growing Zone. Perennial and fall-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 at (801) 769-0300 or contact us by email or chat.

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Key Features

Light Requirements

  • Full Sun

Water Tolerance

Low-Water

Bloom Time

Late spring to early summer

Advantages

  • Bee Friendly
  • Native
  • Evergreen
  • Easy To Grow
  • Small Spaces
  • Rock Gardens
  • Deer Resistant
  • Rabbit Resistant

Additional information

Mature Height

10" tall

Mature Spread

15-18" wide

Soil Type

  • Low Fertility Soil
  • Well-Drained Soil

Soil Moisture

  • Waterwise

Planting Time

  • Fall

Awards

HCG Plant Of The Year

Special Groups

  • High Country Gardens Exclusive
  • High Country Gardens Introduction

Native To

North America

Growing Zones

  • Zone 4
  • Zone 5
  • Zone 6
  • Zone 7
  • Zone 8
  • Zone 9

Can Send To PO Box

No
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Overall rating: 4.5454545 / 5 from 11 reviews.

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Review topics: [look, buy, plant, flowers, penstemon, garden].

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Reviews

Gorgeous Blue!

"I purchased one plant last year and it is in full bloom in autumn here in Maine. It is absolutely beautiful, and actually blue! I placed it in gull sun along our driveway where it is thriving. I will buy more when they are back in stock!"

— BTPE (5/5)

So pretty!!

"I purchased 5 of these one year ago as David Salman said in one of his videos that this was one of his favorite penstemons. A year later I see why he said this. The evergreen leaves are a great ground cover and the delicate blue/purple flowers are quite prolific. Just know they are quite small so should be planted in the right spot. Not like mine which Ive planted in the wrong spot in front of some Russian Sage. What I should have done is plant them in front of the Greek Yarrow. That would have been a super pretty combination. Next year!"

— Enthusiastic A. (5/5)

Year long attractiveness

"A beautiful plant for the rock garden. After a sluggish first year, it has really started to dig in and put on a long-lasting show last summer. Evergreen foliage helps keep the rock garden looking nice. Mine is growing a yard or so away from P. liniaroides (one of the parents) which makes a nice complement in terms of flower and leaf color through the year."

— Gnosishead (5/5)

I lost mine, but don't let that deter you.

"Unfortunately, these plants did not make it through the winter for me in Utah (zone 5). I love a Penstemon and have many varieties. I wish I could have seen them grow for me."

— Krissa (2/5)

Happy with my purchase

"Just received Beardtongue Penstemon 'Blue Lips' and wanted to say ""Thank you!"" The plants look great and healthy and the packaging was perfect. Very carefully individually wrapped and shipped. I order online plants all the time and feel these were sent with care! Would definitely order from High Country Gardens again!"

— Jill (5/5)

highly recommended!

"This is the most delightful of shorter, smaller plants in my garden, with its outstanding ""electric"" blue flowers, and wonderful pinifolius leaves left after blooming, planted in grey wooly thyme. I am going to try it with groundcovers amongst brick and stone pavers It is very hardy in my zone 4a and drought tolerant even in its first year, since I rarely water. I will be buying many more, even though my yard is small."

— Kim (5/5)

Beautiful hardy and a favorite

"Love this plant. Have it in a few places and look forward to it taking up more space!"

— Ben (5/5)

love this plant

"This is a beatiful plant that has some purple and some very bright blue in the flower petals. The one thing wrong is that I planted it next to a caryopteris. The blue of the 2 plants is close enough that they both look less lovely. I will move one of them in the autumn."

— Long G. (5/5)

Slow but steady and beautiful blues

"This one is a slow burner, someone else mentioned that. It rewards patience though, as I have three of them now with a small mound of growth and the most beautiful blue flowers, small and delicate. It is being run circles round by the other beautifully quick growers I got from HGC, but the flowers, I believe will be worth it, and I won't have to worry about cutting it back for a long time."

— Escapist G. (4/5)

I love this plant! I put it in very lean soil, does great!

"I love this plant very useful in a xeric garden. It starts a bit slow, in lean soil, but once it gets going, it does very well. I also use it in better soil conditions, & it seems to do very well. Full sun does best, but it does tolerate a bit of shade. Use it in multiples for the pop, or to fill a space that is small & tuck it in. It blooms very well, & I love to see it in full bloom. It is very attractive. The xeric bed is snow covered now, but it does well in winter conditions. It did very well after the vortex last year."

— Cactus S. (5/5)

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