by Barbara Faurot \u2022 The most versatile garden plants have something in common: they are easy to grow, can
\ntolerate deer and drought, and offer an array of habitat benefits in all seasons.<\/p>\n
Penstemons deliver on all counts \u2014 plus they offer a variety of colors, foliage types, blooming
\nseasons, and sizes. Most Pacific Northwest natives and cultivars will thrive in our maritime
\nclimate. As the Oregon Native Plant Society says, they offer \u201ca charm in their carefree attitude,\u201d
\nrequiring little care and attention once established in the garden.<\/p>\n
Penstemons belong to the plantain (Plantaginaceae) family. The botanical name penstemon is
\nderived from the Greek words penta (five) and stemon (stamen). One of the five stamens (the
\nmale parts of the flower that produce pollen) is sterile and covered with hairs, leading to its
\ncommon name \u201cbeard-tongue.\u201d Flowers bloom in spires of tubular flowers, with two lobes on
\nthe upper lip and three on the hairy lower lip of each flower.<\/p>\n
Penstemons are the largest genus of flowering plants endemic to North America, with about 280
\nspecies on the continent. There are about 30 species native to Washington state and 80 species
\nin the greater Northwest. Hundreds of hybrids and cultivars are also available with names that
\ndescribe their brilliant colors, including Electric Blue, Prairie Dusk, Pink Rock Candy, and
\nPeregrine Lilac.<\/p>\n
Whether native or cultivated species, nearly all are outstanding pollinator plants, attracting
\nhoney bees, native bees, pollen-collecting wasps, and butterflies. The non-profit Xerces Society
\nexplains that different plants attract different pollinators. Red-flowering penstemons attract
\nhummingbirds, while others support sphinx moths. Smaller varieties have nectaries
\n(nectar-producing glands) accessible to smaller bees.<\/p>\n
Penstemons are strong multi-taskers in the garden. In addition to producing pollen and nectar,
\nthey are excellent host plants for caterpillars and provide pollinator nesting material and shelter.
\nSeeds are a valuable food source for small birds and mammals. Penstemons also help prevent
\nsoil erosion and help improve soil quality through their root systems.<\/p>\n
The tallest species are about four feet high and can work well on the sunny edges of
\nhedgerows; smaller varieties can thrive in wildflower meadows and perennial borders. Many
\nbloom throughout the season, and most prefer sun to part shade and average to dry soil. Once established, they require little supplemental irrigation, and resist pests and diseases if they are
\nnot over-watered.<\/p>\n
After flowers bloom, you can simply leave them to develop seeds for birds and provide nesting
\nmaterials for wildlife. If desired, deadhead larger-flowered types to promote continuous bloom,
\nand remove stems from bushier plants to encourage new basal shoots.<\/p>\n
Kul Kah Han Native Plant Garden at HJ Carroll Park in Chimacum has several species native to
\nthe Pacific Northwest on display. Cascade penstemon (Penstemon serrulatus) blooms all
\nsummer with purple flowers; unlike most, it favors more moisture. The small-flowered
\npenstemon (P. procurus) prefers rocky, meadow, and dry conditions; blue-purple, tube-like
\nflowers bloom from mid- to late summer.<\/p>\n
Venus, Palmer\u2019s, Barrett\u2019s, and Eaton\u2019s penstemons are other natives that prefer sunny sites
\nand well-drained soil. Local nurseries offer hearty cultivars; Pink Rock Candy, for example, is a
\nsemi-shrubby plant that attracts pollinators and easily self-sows.<\/p>\n
Plant penstemons with other native species for a beautiful and functional wildlife habitat. For
\nstarters, in sunny sites consider Douglas aster (Symphyotrichum subspicatum), Oregon iris (Iris
\ntenax), blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium spp.), and yarrow (Achillea millefolium).
\nFall is a great time to plant penstemons. New plantings require supplemental water as their root
\nsystems grow, but need little additional care once established. Layer finished compost or coarse
\norganic mulch around plantings; no commercial fertilizers or pesticides are needed.<\/p>\n
Reginald Farrer, late plantsman and writer, observed that \u201cpenstemons … prefer a crowded
\nhour of glory rather than a long existence of mere usefulness.\u201d A typical penstemon may have a
\nlifespan of five to ten years. Many will self-seed and can be divided to encourage a continuous
\ncolorful display as part of a sunny border, wildflower meadow, or pollinator garden.
\nFor more information, visit the American Penstemon Society at https:\/\/penstemons.org.<\/p>\n
Barbara Faurot is a Jefferson County Master Gardener and Master Pruner, working with other<\/em> \u201cFirst published in the Port Townsend Leader August 28, 2024.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Barbara Faurot \u2022 The most versatile garden plants have something in common: they are easy to grow, can tolerate deer and drought, and offer an array of habitat benefits in all seasons. Penstemons deliver on all counts \u2014 plus they offer a variety of colors, foliage types, blooming seasons, and sizes. Most Pacific Northwest […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":6902,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6901","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","classic-edited"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6901","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6901"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6901\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6913,"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6901\/revisions\/6913"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6902"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6901"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6901"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jcmgf.myparkpack.com\/mg2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6901"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nvolunteers who serve as community educators in gardening and environmental stewardship.<\/em><\/p>\n