Penstemon perennial: description of 20 varieties and species, planting and care in the open field

Perennial penstemon has a rather bright appearance and pleasant aroma, it is able to decorate any area where it grows. This flower is simply a record holder in the number of varieties and colors, among which every gardener will be able to choose the option to his liking.

Description and features

Penstemon is a perennial shrub and semi-shrub plant from the Norichnikov family. The birthplace of the flower is North and Central America. The bush has from 1 to 4 erect stems, the height of which varies from 20 cm to 120 cm. They have a bright green or brown-brown color.The foliage is lanceolate with solid edges and a shiny surface.

Flowering occurs in May-June, some representatives continue until October, such as Carillo purple. Flowers are tubular or bell-shaped. They are single color or multi-colored. Life expectancy depends on the particular variety, some varieties live 2 years, others can live up to 7 years. Well pollinated by bees.

Popular varieties and types

These plants number about 270 species. In our area, these flowers are not yet very popular, so only a few of them are on sale.

Foxglove

The variety has high frost resistance. It grows up to 120 cm. It has cream or slightly pink inflorescences, which are always white inside. Blooms in June or early July.

Dark Towers

This variety was bred relatively recently. It is characterized by an abundance of flowering and increased frost resistance. Dark towers has a deep burgundy color that pairs well with soft pink flowers.

Carilo Red

Has green foliage and stems. It grows to a height of no more than 60 cm. It has bright scarlet flowers. Flowering period from June to October.

Harweg

This is one of the most popular varieties. The plant grows up to 60 cm. The inflorescences are large, can be of different colors, but usually white in the middle. It blooms in early June and blooms until the first frosts.

Davidson

This species is creeping, it is one of the shortest, grows only 20 cm. It blooms with blue or lilac inflorescences. The foliage is small, has an oval shape.

Mystic

Penstemon Mystic has purple-green foliage. It blooms with pale pink racemes. Has a pleasant aroma. The plant grows up to 70 cm.

Bell-shaped

The variety got its name due to its flowers. They have the shape of bells of pink-lilac color. Foliage and stems are light green. Blooms from June to September.

Hybrid

A bushy type of penstemon, growing up to 80 cm. It blooms for about a month, but with timely pruning it blooms again at the end of summer. Blue inflorescences.

Hairy hair

Grows up to 90 cm. The leaves and stem are covered with small, but fairly stiff hairs. Hence the name of the variety. The bush blooms in early summer and continues to bloom for a little over a month.

Sensation

This variety does not grow larger than 45 cm. The foliage is sharp with a bright green color. Flowers are always white and blue or white and red.

Rubra

Rubra is a tall variety with tubular flowers. They can be of different colors, the most common are red, pink, purple and burgundy shades.

Pygmy

Short representative, reaching only 20 cm. The foliage is lush, dark green. Inflorescences are racemose with a pale lavender color. Blooms from June to August.

Kobo

One of the highest varieties of penstemon flower. It grows up to 120 cm. It has light green foliage with sharp ends. The flowers of the variety are large, can have a different color, always with white, namely: purple, pink, purple, red and completely white.

Red Leaf

This penstemon has large maroon lamellar leaves. The height of the plant is about 70 cm. The flowers are bell-shaped, they are purple, pink, white and red.

Alpine

This is a ground cover, the height of which does not exceed 30 cm. It forms an elastic cushion on the soil with blue, purple or blue inflorescences. In the right soil, the flower is able to survive frosts down to -30 degrees.

Darkleaf

This flower blooms all summer. It has narrow-tipped maroon foliage with white-pink buds.

Pineleaf

This bush has thin leaves similar to pine needles. They are densely arranged on the stem. Flowers more often red than yellow.

Husker red

Frost-resistant variety, growing up to 90 cm high. Foliage is red with a bronze tint. The flowers are airy with a white-pink tint. Flowering time is June-July.

Twisted

Variety with wide leaves, sometimes with a red tint. Its flowers are collected in spreading panicles of bluish-lilac color. Blooms in June-July, sometimes blooms again in September.

Growing seedlings

In order to grow a penstemon, you will have to make an effort and be patient.

Timing

The most suitable period for sowing seeds for seedlings is the end of February - the beginning of March.

Soil preparation

The soil for sowing seeds should be light, nutritious and well-drained. Sow the seed material in slightly moist soil.

How to plant

Fill containers with soil and sow future seedlings in them. Sprinkle a thin layer of disinfected sand on top. To do this, just spill it with boiling water.

Strongly deepen the seeds is not worth it, it will reduce their germination.

Top containers are covered with polyethylene or glass to create a greenhouse. Put in a warm, bright place.

Irrigation

It is important that the soil does not dry out, otherwise the seeds will sprout poorly or not at the same time. From time to time, seedlings are opened, aired and sprayed with a spray bottle. The germination process lasts from 1 to 3 weeks depending on the variety of penstemon.

Picking

After 10-15 days, the sprouts have already formed 2-3 true leaves. And this means that they need to dive into separate containers with peat.

Transfer

Already grown plants are transplanted into open ground. This process is carried out at the end of May. The site should be sunny and without drafts.

Important! The sooner the penstemon is planted in open ground, the later it will begin to bloom.

Compost, peat or sand are added to the dug holes, fine gravel is also used. When planting seedlings, a distance between plants of 30-35 cm should be observed.

Mulching

The soil around the flowers can be mulched to reduce the amount of watering. To do this, use dry peat or compost.

Feeding

As a top dressing, organic fertilizers are applied under the bush. This is done 3 times per season. And before the plant begins to bloom, it is fed with complex mineral fertilizers that contain phosphorus. Such top dressing has a positive effect on flowering, enhancing it and making the bush more decorative.

Flowering

The flowering period for each variety comes at different times, but most often it is June. This process continues until the end of summer, and in some varieties until the first frost. The beginning of flowering is influenced not only by the variety, but also by the time of planting, the soil in which the flower grows, and caring for it. After the plant has faded, seeds begin to form, which are used for reproduction.

Cutting

During the development of the flower, you need to periodically prune. Cut off dead flowers and foliage. And also thin out overgrown bushes. This will increase the decorativeness of the plant and prolong the flowering period.

Preparing for winter

Winter frosts below -10 degrees can adversely affect most varieties of penstemon. In order to preserve the plants, after flowering, their stems are cut at the root and insulated with dry foliage or spruce branches.

Diseases and pests

Penstemons are resistant to diseases, but if the plant is systematically flooded or water stagnates under the bushes for a long time, fungal diseases, in particular gray rot, can develop. In order to cure the plant, the soil under the bush is loosened and watered with fungicides.

Sometimes there is a drying of the top of the plant. In order to get rid of this problem, you need to completely cut the bush. Without doing this, you can lose the plant. When pruned, the penstemon will quickly recover and start new shoots.

This flower is of no interest to insects, so they rarely attack it.

Reproduction

There are several ways to propagate penstemon:

• cutting;
• layering;
• dividing the bush;
• seeds.

Cutting

This breeding method is carried out in the middle of summer. At this time, the shoots of the bush are already quite strong. In order to prepare the cuttings, you need to select the stems without inflorescences and cut them off. Length should be about 25 cm.

Next, the cuttings are dipped into water with rooting stimulants dissolved in it. When roots begin to appear on the cuttings, they are planted in open ground, covered with cut plastic bottles.

Layers

Propagate plants with layering to get only undersized and creeping specimens. It is necessary to tilt the extreme shoot, fix it with a bracket and cover it with soil.After 25-30 days, roots form on the layer, now the shoot is cut off from the mother bush, dug up and transplanted to a permanent place in the prepared hole.

Dividing the bush

In order to get material for planting, you need to dig up a bush of an adult plant. It is carefully released from the soil and divided into 2-3 parts. For each part, a hole is dug, fertilized and planted.

Having chosen this penstemon reproduction option, it is important to know that it is suitable only for those representatives who have reached the age of three. Otherwise, the entire bush will die.

The division of the bush is also used to rejuvenate plants. It is necessary for specimens that have reached the age of five. If such rejuvenation is not done, then the bush begins to grow old, the formation of new shoots stops, the bush may stop blooming and lose its decorative effect.

Collection and storage of seeds

After the penstemon blooms, the fruit ripens. It is a box in which there are tiny seeds. After collection, the seeds are stored in a paper bag in a dry, warm place. Under such conditions, the seeds remain viable for 2 years.

Landscape use

Penstemons look advantageous in any composition, as they have a wide variety of colors, come in different sizes and bloom for a long time. In mixborders, they look great with cloves, echinacea, catnip, cuffs, sage and other plants.

Used for flower beds, rabatok, alpine slides, for edging borders, and also planted in pots penstemons and decorate balconies and terraces with them.

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