PENSTEMON. Beard-tongue. Mostly North America, Mexico. A large, interesting group of perennials and shrubs of the Snapdragon family. Some grow narrowly erect, others are relatively broad and bushy, while still others are ground-hugging mats. The leaves are also quite variable in size, shape, color and texture. Flowers are usually large relative to the plants and are often presented in dense spikes. They are tubular to bell shaped and brightly colored, usually in shades of red, blue or purple to white. The odd common name comes from the brush of hairs lining one of the stamens in flowers of many species. Sun, well drained soil, watering requirements vary considerably, though most are drought tolerant. Hardy to 0^oF or below, except as noted.

barbatus hybrids. This is a diverse group of hybrids, involving P. barbatus, a hardy species of the interior western states. All have a branched, semi-woody rootstock, short, mostly prostrate stems and strap shaped leaves 3-6" long. Flowering stalks rise as much as 2½’ above the clumps in summer, bearing many tubular blossoms. These may be colored deep purple or red to white, often with lighter markings in the throats. We are currently growing ‘Bashful’, a compact plant with coral blossoms on 1’ stalks; ‘Coccineus’, a bright red-flowered seed strain; ‘Elfin Pink’, about 1½’ with greyish green leaves and pink flowers; ‘Prairie Dusk’, a vigorous selection with lush, shiny foliage and purple flowers on 2’ stalks; and ‘Utah Natives’, a dwarf hybrid swarm, with very dark green leaves and 1’ stems of red or purple to white flowers. All should have full exposure and excellent soil drainage and are hardy to 0^oF. or less.

campanulatus. A bushy Mexican species, making many leafy stems up to 2½’ high. The leaves are lance-shaped with sawtooth margins and dark green on their upper surface. 1" trumpet-shaped flowers are presented in long, loose clusters in summer and fall. Those of the current strain are deep pink; more typical colors range from rosy lavender to violet. Probably 15^oF.

cardinalis. A robust native of the Southwest, forming sizeable clumps. It has crowns of narrow-oval greyish green leaves up to 8” long. Wandlike flower stems rise to 3’ or more in summer, each bearing dozens of 1” bright red, tubular flowers. Easy and tough.

centranthifolius. Scarlet bugler. A common plant of dry places in central and southern California; this material is from the Santa Lucia Mountains. It produces several sturdy, upsweeping stems from a narrow base. Paired along these are broad, tapered leaves up to 4" long, clasping the stems. The leaves are strikingly colored, sometimes ashy grey, sometime bright blue-green. Loosely spaced on long stalks above the foliage are narrowly tubular, bright red blossoms. It needs particularly good drainage and full exposure and is often short-lived in the garden. However, new plants are readily started from seeds. 10^oF. or less.

cobaea. A hardy midwesterner, forming crowns of large, conspicuously toothed, dark green leaves. The flowering stems are leafy and rise to 1-2', each carrying several 2" blossoms. These are broadly bell shaped and spreading at the face. In this Texan strain they combine lavender, pink and cream shades.

glaber. A very hardy penstemon; our material was collected by Steve Bell in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Several low, thick leafy stems radiate from the base. The leaves are stalkless, up to 4" long and bright blue-green in color. At their tips are generous one-sided clusters of large true-blue flowers with lighter tubes. This is one of the easiest of the dryland penstemons to grow, and hardy to far below 0^oF.

gloxinioides. Border penstemon. As a group, these hybrids of P. hartwegii are extremely showy but relatively short-lived. Most of the following have proven more durable in the garden. They are bushy plants growing 2’ to 3½’ tall, their stems densely lined with 4" tapered, dark green leaves. All bloom in repeated waves from late spring to fall, carrying their large, bell shaped blossoms in thick spikes. ‘Apple Blossom’ is a particularly attractive selection bearing bright pink blossoms with a white-marked throat. ‘Firebird’ has cherry red blossoms. Those of ‘Garnet’ are deep maroon, set against exceptionally dark, glossy, narrow leaves. ‘Holly’s White’ has white flowers with a slight pink blush on shorter stems. ‘Lady Alice Hindley’ is a robust selection with very large lavender flowers, marked inside with white. ‘Midnight’ is another tall, vigorous selection, combining broad, deep green leaves and velvety purple flowers.‘Scarlet Queen’ is a popular seed strain with flowers similar in shape and color to ‘Firebird’ (hardly true scarlet, but nice). ‘Enor’ is a recent addition, boasting reddish stems, long, dark leaves and large, vivid purplish red flowers, not opening widely at the tips. All are best with moderate watering. 15^oF. or below.

heterophyllus. A highly variable plant, semishrubby in some forms, herbaceous in others. The plants have attractive narrow, shiny, bluish green leaves sometimes heavily tinged with red. Dense spikes of narrowly bell shaped blossoms, varying in hue from deep blue to reddish purple, grace the plants from late spring to fall. ‘Carman’s Best’ is a more floriferous replacement for the better-known ‘Blue Bedder’, with bright blue flowers. It was selected by Ed Carman. ‘Lodoga Strain’ is my own wild seed strain with similarly bright flowers on bushy plants up to 2’ tall. I am particularly impressed by a recent introduction by the good folks at Las Pilitas Nursery, ‘Margarita BOP’ (not a reference to ‘50s dance, but rather to “back of porch”, where it was discovered as a chance seedling). The plants are quite full, floriferous and resistant to disease. 10^oF. or less.

parvulus ‘Siskiyou Beauty’. There was once a time (quite a few years, actually) when I was reckless enough to bring back cuttings of every new penstemon which enchanted me in the California wilds. Soon afterward, I would offer it for sale, usually with some disclaimer like “rock garden conditions”, suggesting that it was less than easy to grow. There are few of these beauties left, except in my own rather ragged garden. This is a new selection of an old “friend”, often encountered in open, rocky places in the Klamath Mountains. It makes low mounds with attractive grey-green leaves. Elevated above these are clusters of bright blue to violet flowers. This is a particularly floriferous selection, with vivid bluish purple flowers. It is definitely one for the rock garden. Below 0^oF.

rostriflorus (bridgesii). If you have traveled the High Sierra in summer, you have probably seen–and been suitably impressed by–this showy native. It forms broad mounds with upswept slender stems. The leaves are narrow, usually 1-2" long, and pale green to slightly grey-green in color. Slender 1-3’ flower stems carry many clusters of bright red to orange-red, trumpet-shaped blossoms, each about an inch long. This is a fine perennial for neglected sunny banks, and hardy to below 0^oF.

secundiflorus. In the current strain from Plants of the Southwest, this is a truly dazzling penstemon. It has clustered, erect stems, up to 2’ high in flower. The leaves are broad and nearly clasp the stems; their color is a beautiful grey-green. Long, dense flower clusters are produced over most of the summer, the broad-faced lavender to pink flowers all facing to one side of the stem. Hardy to well below 0^oF.

whippleanus. The Southwest is a treasure trove of showy penstemons, many of them easily grown. This is a recent acquisition from Plants of the Southwest. It forms generous clumps, with crowns of broad, deep green 4” leaves. In summer it bears 2’ stems of dazzling purple to lavender flowers.