Penstemon heterophyllus 'Electric Blue'

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Penstemon heterophyllus 'Electric Blue'

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Kemper Code: A427

Common Name: foothill penstemon
Zone: 6 to 10
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Missouri Native: No
Native Range: None
Height: 1 to 1.5 feet
Spread: 1 to 1.5 feet
Bloom Time: May - July
Bloom Color: Gentian blue
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low

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Plant Culture and Characteristics

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Uses:		Wildlife:	Flowers:	Leaves:	Fruit:
Hedge	Suitable as annual	Attracts birds	Has showy flowers	Leaves colorful	Has showy fruit
Shade tree	Culinary herb	Attracts	Has fragrant flowers	Leaves fragrant	Fruit edible
Street tree	Vegetable	hummingbirds	Flowers not showy	Good fall color	Other:
Flowering tree	Water garden plant	Attracts	Good cut flower	Evergreen	Winter interest
Gr. cover (<1')	Will naturalize	butterflies	Good dried flower		Thorns or spines

General Culture:

Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Avoid wet, poorly-drained soils. Remove spent flowering racemes to prolong bloom. Plants may be cut back after flowering to improve appearance of the planting. This plant may not be reliably winter hardy in the St. Louis area where it should be planted in a protected location.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

Penstemon heterophyllus, commonly called foothill penstemon, is native to hillsides, grasslands, chaparral and open forest areas in the foothills of California mountain ranges at elevations below 5500’. It is a clump-forming perennial that features loose terminal racemes of gentain blue, tubular flowers (to 1.5” long) atop erect spreading stems to 18” tall. Flowers bloom in late spring to summer. Narrow, lance-shaped to linear, medium green stem leaves (to 2-4” long). Penstemon in Greek means five stamens (four are fertile and one is sterile). Penstemons are sometimes commonly called beardtongues because the sterile stamen has a tuft of small hairs. ‘Electric Blue’ is a cultivar that features intense blue flowers that are typically a more uniform blue than the species.

Problems:

No serious insect or disease problems. Root rot can occur in wet, poorly-drained soils. Leaf spot may also occur.

Uses:

Sunny areas of borders, rock gardens or native plant gardens. Good on dry, rocky slopes or hillsides.