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Pineleaf Penstemon

Penstemon pinifolius

$11.19
$11.19 $13.99
per Plant - 5" Deep Pot
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ZONES  4-9 | Good to grow! Zone
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Penstemon pinifolius (Pineleaf Beardtougue) is one of the very best western Penstemon, blooming in late spring, with a phenomenal display of bright-orange tubular flowers held over attractive, evergreen pine needle-like foliage.

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Description

10-12" tall x 12-18" wide. Penstemon pinifolius (Pineleaf Beardtongue) Compact, hardy and water thrifty, the red-orange tubular flowers of P. pinifolius, set the late spring garden ablaze in color. Out of flower, the plant resembles a tiny mugo pine with thin, evergreen leaves held on tidy stems giving the plant year-round interest in the waterwise landscape. A little known native species native to southern New Mexico and eastern Arizona.

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

  • Morning Sun & Afternoon Shade
  • Full Sun

Water Tolerance

Low-Water

Bloom Time

Late spring to Mid summer

Advantages

  • Bee Friendly
  • Attracts Hummingbirds
  • Native
  • Long Bloom Time
  • Evergreen
  • Deer Resistant
  • Rabbit Resistant

Additional information

Mature Height

10-12" tall

Mature Spread

12-18" wide

Soil Type

  • Average Soil
  • Sandy Soil
  • Low Fertility Soil

Soil Moisture

  • Waterwise

Planting Time

  • Fall

Native To

North America

Growing Zones

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

Ships As

Potted Plant

Can Send To PO Box

No

Ships to Hawaii & Alaska

No

Overall rating: 4.5 / 5 from 8 reviews.

AI Generated Review Summary

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Reviews

Penstenstemon pinifolius "Pineleaf" came well

"Penstenstemon pinifolius "Pineleaf" came well packed and is looking wonderful!! We hope to get it established before our summer heat hits. . . ."

— Leigh B. (5/5)

They are doing well

"The plants arrived well packaged and although I thought it was a little early they went into the ground immediately and are thriving."

— JR (5/5)

Hardy and Beautiful

"I did not protect this plant from the harsh Wyoming high plains winter wind after it's first season. Almost all of its stems were severely wind burnt. I thought for sure it was not going to make it into its second season. Not only did it make it but there is no appearance of the effects of the prior winter and it grew and flowered beautifully. This plant is hardy!"

— DVB (5/5)

Doing well at 7200'

"This little plant is doing well in my water-wise, deer-frequented high-mesa garden. It's covered in blooms in the spring. It gets a deep watering about once a week."

— High G. (5/5)

Sweet surprise

"My garden is in Zone 3 and these lovely little Penstemon are happy as a clam. They are growing on a north facing slope at 5900' but the soil is dry and well drained. I am not a fan of orange flowers and wasn't expecting much but pinifolius beardstongue proved to be a delight. In their second year they produced a profuse, bright bouquet of cheer. They were not bothered by deer or rabbits which made them a perfect choice for my location."

— Traillens (5/5)

I would probably not buy this product again

"One of the three plants is almost dead. They are all in the same area, which gets sun most of the day. The soil is good."

— Frank (3/5)

Still Alive. . .

"I planted 2 plugs in early April. When I received the plugs, they were very small with very little growth above the crown. Some of the growth was brown. I planted them anyway according to instructions. Now it is almost July and all of the foliage on these plants has turned green. Still no more that a few inches tall with much growing still to come. No flowers the first year."

— Christines G. (3/5)

Truly Evergreen with Attractive Foliage

"Wow-wee! I was impressed by the multi-stemmed, healthy and lively plant that I received in a 5 inch pot from High Country Gardens. This little trooper didn't miss a beat when I transplanted it in late summer (it was a VERY long summer, the heat and dryness kept dragging on and on, so it wasn't such a great time to transplant really. . . no matter, this pineleaf penstemon took it like a champ and seemed perfectly happy)! I created a little saucer well depression around the plant, about 12 inches in diameter. The ""saucer"" helped retain our infrequent rainwater or hand watering. GROWS WELL WITH: I planted it alongside Penstemon Coconino County (raspberry pink), Penstemon Elfin Pink, silver lambs ear, trumpet vine, white hibiscus bushes, a chitalpa tree, Jupiters beard, catmint, purple iris, desert willow and some pre-existing natives (wild sunflower, needleleaf milkweed, aster, native clumping grasses, globe mallow). Love that this plant is TRULY EVERGREEN and TRULY XERIC. Our environment: 14 inches precipitation annually (fluctuating between long periods of dryness and brief periods of heavy precipitation), 5000 feet elevation, western, dry and windy high desert. Typically 0-100 degrees Fahrenheit temperature range in any given year. WILDLIFE that make their habitat in this garden: Hummingbirds, many moths, butterflies, bees (native and Arabic), bats, helpful snakes such as California kingsnake, ground squirrels, cottontails, jackrabbits, mice, tarantulas and many cool critters such as preying mantis. The hungry herbivores such as gophers and rabbits seem to leave the penstemon alone. This is a balanced ecosystem and no one plant is decimated (I am suggesting that by planting native and hardy plants such as those sold by HCG, nature can live in harmony without us having to use weed/pest control)."

— Crickets (5/5)

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