Penstemon Species, Beardlip Penstemon, Beard Tongue, Firecracker Penstemon, Red Penstemon

I have tried one or two different cultivars of this species - they all sulk the first year, then die during the winter - not worth my time.

This plant was given to me as a pass along recently. I plopped some of it in the ground and some in a pot, they are all growing like craz...Read Morey and blooming up a storm. Gorgeous and easy, considering I have next to no gardening experience.

I had it planted in a part shade location (morning sun, afternoon dappled tree shade, a bit of late day sun), watered it every 5 days in ...Read Morethe middle of a Texas summer, gave into the heat. All other plants are fine around it. Never bloomed or showed signs of growth.

Atlanta: I - like hugahosta - was ready to rip all mine out this year if they didn't bloom and - WOW! - they are all blooming now. I have...Read More great masses of them! I had bought one plant (summer 2002) and it grew, but no flowers. I cut it back in the winter and used the pieces to grow a whole lot more. They flourished and grew big and bold and last year I had ONE! flower. So I cut them back as they browned after the first bad frost. (We get a lot of 18-20 degree weather in the winter here and they were very frowsy looking). Last year I just let them sprawl throughout the winter, trying to see if cutting might be the problem.

Now I am still not sure if it was the cutting back or just the fact they are now 3 years old but they over 4' tall now, no staking.

I'll post a pix later today - they are beautiful! Masses of flowers!

Positive and then some! What a simply gloriously rewarding plant! Quite easy care, just no worries with this sweetheart of a perennial....Read More Well-shaped, erect and well-mannered, it looks good in and out of bloom. It's tolerant of all but the worst soil, doesn't pout if neglected, isn't pushy with its neighbors -- if I had a place for them, I'd make a "Penstemons-Only" bed!

I planted a penstemon in Virginia in the spring under the right soil/light conditions and it did not bloom all season. The foliage grew, ...Read Morebut no flowers. Same thing next year -- then I ripped it out. Not sure what the problem was, but would atleast say the plant is not super "easy".

Tall, semi-evergreen perennial from Central and North America.

Has linear to lance shaped, mid to blue green leaves. Bears...Read More tubular, reddish flowers with a yellow beard on the lower lip.

Flowers June - September

Loves a well-drained, fertile soil in sun or light shade. Won't do well on soils that lie too wet over winter