Penstemon hirsutus
$5.00
Hairy Beardtongue
Taxonomists aim to include details about a plant when naming it. This time it crept into the common name too. I don’t know about you, but to me the common name conjures up a tongue with a dark hairy beard on it! Let that image be erased by the lovely image at left because this plant is nothing of the sort. This native beauty is just plain sweet and lovely. Consider large sweeps for a wow effect or dot about for splashes of color.
Airy clusters of delicate tubular flowers in shades of lavender-white put on a lovely display attracting hummingbirds, pollinators, and butterflies, including the Baltimore Checkerspot.
Stems are green to red, and foliage turns a harvest red in fall. This easy-grow perennial is admired for its compact growth and adaptability to a wide range of soils. Plus, it doesn’t spread aggressively. What a great native.
Full-part sun. Blooms early summer. Height 1-3′. Spread 10-12″. Deer resistant. Zones 3-9.
3.5″ pot