Penstemon
Beard Tongue
Among the most exuberantly blooming plants this side of the Mississippi, Penstemon are part of the enchantment of the West. A member of the Snapdragon family, even cultivated varieties retain a natural air, with dainty, long trumpet flowers and 5 (pent) prominent stamens. Sturdy and easily maintained, species usually range from 1 to 3 ft. tall, and vary in color from white to pink to purple to deep wine red to blue—one for every sunny spot. Trim after the first bloom to encourage a repeat flowering, and cut back in autumn for strong growth next season.
This tidy turn-of-the century Penstemon has an array of cultivar names that range from ‘Swan Lake’ to ‘Snow Storm’ and ‘Snowflake’, all aptly conjuring the lovely droves of densely clustered white blooms. Distinguished by a bashful touch of pink on the petal backs and striking dark anthers, the pearly 1 in. flowers unfurl from creamy buds with pink-blushed tips. ‘White Bedder’s strong stems and slender shiny green leaves forge a sturdy upright habit that can take a seat among Salvia ‘Sensation Deep Rose’ and Sedum ‘Septemberglut’.
Blooms July–October
Size: 2' 0" high x 2-1/2' wide.
Hardy to zone 7.
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Other selections in this genus:
- Penstemon ‘Alice Hindley’
- Penstemon ‘Bev Jensen’
- Penstemon ‘Blackbird’
- Penstemon ‘Blue Midnight’
- Penstemon sp. (chiapas x ‘Hidalgo)’
- Penstemon ‘Dark Towers’
- Penstemon ‘Elizabeth Cozzens’’
- Penstemon ‘Enor’
- Penstemon ‘Firebird (Ruby/Schoenholzeri)’
- Penstemon ‘Garnet’
- Penstemon ‘Geoff Hamilton’
- Penstemon ‘Ghent Purple’
- Penstemon ‘Gilchrist’
- Penstemon heterophyllus ‘Züriblau’
- Penstemon ‘Hidcote Pink’
- Penstemon ‘King George V’
- Penstemon x x mexicali ‘Pike’s Peak Purple’
- Penstemon x mexicali ‘Psmyers’
- Penstemon x mexicali ‘Red Rocks’
- Penstemon x mexicali ‘Sunburst Amethyst’
- Penstemon x mexicali ‘Sunburst Ruby’
- Penstemon ‘Port Wine’
- Penstemon ‘Purple Tiger’
- Penstemon ‘Raven’
- Penstemon ‘Schoenholzeri’
- Penstemon ‘Stapleford Gem’
- Penstemon ‘Thorn’
- Penstemon ‘Violet Kissed’
- Penstemon virgatus ‘Blue Buckle’