Penstemon parade: these showy perennials are naturally at home in Western gardens - Garden: Outdoor Living - varieties

Sunset, June, 2002 by Lauren Springer

P. linarioides coloradoensis. Lavender blue. Gray foliage. Needs dry conditions.

P. pinifalius (pineleaf penstemon). Red, orange, or yellow. Long blooming.

P. procerus tolmiei. Blue, lavender, pink, or yellow.

P. procumbens (P caespitosus). Blue; early. Needs dry conditions.

P. rupicola. Rose red. Prefers cool climates. Protect from winter wind.

P. teucrioides. Light blue. Needs dry conditions.

* Colorful hybrids for coastal areas

Sometimes referred to as garden penstemon or European hybrids, these showy plants were once bred mainly overseas. Best suited to coastal areas, they dislike intense heat and are not reliably cold-hardy in the interior West. As a group they are short-lived, but the darker-flowered selections tend to grow longer. They need regular water during the growing season and autumn. Typically, they grow 18 to 30 inches tall and bloom late.

BRIGHT REDS. 'Firebird', 'Flame', 'Razzle Dazzle'., 'Red Ace', and 'Scarlet Queen'.

DARK REDS. 'Blackbird', 'Burgundy', 'Garnet', and 'Port Wine'.

PINK AND ROSE. 'Evelyn' (one of the hardiest), 'Hidcote Pink', 'Lynette', 'Patio Pink', 'Pennington Gem', 'Pink Endurance', and 'Wisley Pink'.

PURPLE. 'Hidcote Purple', 'Midnight' ('Russian River'), 'Papal Purple', 'Purple Tiger', and 'Raven'.

BLUE OR LAVENDER. 'Alice Hindley', 'Knightwick', 'Sour Grapes', and 'Stapleford Gem'.

COLOR BLENDS. 'Astley' (white-pale lavender), 'Mother of Pearl' (white-lavender), and 'Raspberry Flair' (lavender-rose).

What penstemons need

* At least six hours of sun daily.

* Good air circulation.

* Soil that is well drained and relatively low in organic matter.

* To encourage plants in containers to establish in garden soil, remove most of the soil mix from around the root-balls of plants before setting them in the ground.

* Little competition from neighboring plants.

* Irrigation/rain before bloom, dry conditions thereafter.

* Prompt removal of spent flower stalks to prevent energy-robbing seed formation.

* Shrubby evergreen species need protection from drying winter winds.

Good companions

These plants are compatible with penstemons in mixed plantings. Zones vary.

Flowering plants

* Achillea (yarrow)

* Anthemis

* Callirhoe involucrata (wine cups)

* Calylophus (sundrops)

* Cistus (rockrose)

* Dianthus

* Eriogonum (wild buckwheat)

* Eschscholzia californica (California poppy)

* Gaura lindheimeri

* Helianthemum (sunrose)

* Hesperaloe parviflora (red yucca)

* Iris (bearded types and hybrids)

* Linum (flax)

* Nepeta (catmint)

* Oenothera (evening primrose)

* Papaver (poppy)

* Salvia (sage)

Foliage plants

* Agave

* Artemisia

* Dasylirion (desert spoon)

* Yucca

Grasses

* Festuca californica, F glauca, F. idahoensis

* Nassella tenuissima (Mexican feather grass)

* Stipa