What kind of herbaceous plant is Penstemon?

Alternative names of Penstemon

Ivory red

Morphological characteristics of Penstemon

Conical inflorescence, bell-shaped flowers, mixed colors. The stem is smooth, slightly covered with white powder. The whole plant is covered with down, and the leaves are lanceolate. Flowers are solitary or 3-4 borne in the leaf axils and on the main peduncle, forming an irregular raceme; the corolla tube is about 2.5cm long, forming a terminal long conical inflorescence, with flowers in purple, rose red, purplish red or white, etc., with white stripes.

Perennial herb, often grown as an annual, plant 30-50 cm. The stem is smooth, slightly covered with white powder. Leaves opposite, basal leaves ovate, stem leaves lanceolate, entire. Cyme panicle terminal, corolla tubular and two-lipped, flowers in red, blue, purple, pink and other colors.

Growth habits of Penstemon

It likes a sunny, humid, well-ventilated environment, is not cold-tolerant, and avoids hot, dry and acidic soil; it must have good drainage and a fertile sandy loam containing lime. Slightly tolerant of semi-shade, it requires well-drained soil.

Main value of Penstemon

Penstemon has bright flower colors, a long flowering period, a graceful plant shape and vivid flowers; it is an excellent garden flower and can be used in flower beds or flower borders. Suitable for planting in flower borders, and when combined with other blue perennial flowers, it can form a very striking color landscape. It can also be potted for viewing.

There are about 250 species in the same genus, and commonly cultivated ones include red-flowered Penstemon; violet-flowered Penstemon, etc. The flowering period is spring and summer; it can be used in green space flower borders and also as cut flowers for viewing.