Beardtongue / Penstemon

Penstemon 'Dark Towers'
From the Waterwise sale in May 2018, added more in 2019 and 2020.

Penstemon heterophylla 'Electric Blue'

From High Country Gardens in spring 2024

Penstemon cardinalis

From Plants of the Southwest in spring 2025

Photos

Expectations:

Penstemon cardinalis

Penstemon cardinalis will spread out, with upright red spikes, a naturalistic look in front of the patio table I had moved to the side of the garage door.

It has deep green, large leaves. It may flop after flowering, so cut away old stems. It's a native New Mexico plant, but may be too scruffy for my tidy garden, though.

'Dark Towers' needs moister soil than most beardtongues  -- keep these well watered. 

'Dark Towers' is similar to 'Husker's Red', which I really liked in my old garden, but it's slightly taller and the reddish foliage stays darker in summer. Flowers are rosy pink.

'Electric Blue' is a small plant, with very bright blue flowers in spring and early summer.

'Electric Blue'

Experiences:

May 28, 2020

Originally in the dining room window garden, but that was in too much shade there. 

I planted two side by side at the sunny edge under the pine tree in front, then added more each year, until they are now a big clump. 

In the spot at the edge of the pine tree they get good sun, and some shade in late afternoon.

I'm not crazy about how the dark foliage looks in the dark red rock mulch, and the clump is constrained by the edging, so it leans forward. But they have pretty flowers starting in late May.

The clump did get big and full. 

I could do something to plant in front of them to ease the abrupt transition from tall penstemons to flat gravel -- some blue fuzzy lambsears out in front of them maybe?

June 15, 2023

In 2024 the clump looked robust but the flowering was not as impressive as other years, and it was briefer. Not sure why.

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