Penstemon heterophyllus 'Heavenly Blue'
beard tongue
Forming a low, spreading clump, Penstemon heterophyllus ‘Heavenly Blue’ produces slender upright stems packed with tubular, foxglove-like blooms that open with gently flared mouths in shades of mauve, lilac and cool violet-blue. Each flower sits neatly along the stems, creating long airy spires that keep coming from late spring right through summer and often well into autumn.
This semi-evergreen perennial carries narrow, slightly glaucous leaves that form an attractive base even when the plant isn’t flowering. The blooms are magnets for bumblebees and other pollinators, making it a brilliant choice for wildlife-friendly planting as well as informal borders, gravel gardens or sunny patio beds.
This semi-evergreen perennial carries narrow, slightly glaucous leaves that form an attractive base even when the plant isn’t flowering. The blooms are magnets for bumblebees and other pollinators, making it a brilliant choice for wildlife-friendly planting as well as informal borders, gravel gardens or sunny patio beds.
How to care for Penstemon heterophyllus Heavenly Blue:
Plant penstemons in well-drained soil in a sunny or lightly shaded position, incorporating compost or well-rotted manure to improve fertility. Water regularly until established, then reduce watering, as they prefer drier conditions once settled.
Deadhead faded blooms frequently to extend the flowering season. In autumn, leave the top growth in place to provide winter protection, then cut back in spring when new shoots emerge lower down the stems.
Apply a dry mulch, such as bark or composted straw, around the base in colder regions to insulate the roots from frost. Every few years, lift and divide congested clumps in spring to maintain vigour and encourage fresh growth.
Deadhead faded blooms frequently to extend the flowering season. In autumn, leave the top growth in place to provide winter protection, then cut back in spring when new shoots emerge lower down the stems.
Apply a dry mulch, such as bark or composted straw, around the base in colder regions to insulate the roots from frost. Every few years, lift and divide congested clumps in spring to maintain vigour and encourage fresh growth.
Flowering period:
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Eventual height:
0.5m
Eventual spread:
0.5m
Position:
Full sun / light shade
Rate of growth:
Average
Soil:
Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness:
Borderline hardy (will need protection in winter in colder areas)
-
This perennial is semi-evergreen so it can lose some of its leaves in winter. In colder regions or more exposed gardens, it may lose them all, but then fresh new growth appears again in spring.
