Lovely Penstemon in the Landscape

Diane Jones, Draggin' Wing Farm, Water-thrifty Plants for Idaho

Scientfic Name:  Penstemon venustus
Common Name:  Lovely Penstemon, Blue Mt. Penstemon, Venus Penstemon, Beautiful Penstemon

Description:  Vigorous evergreen native penstemon with large, gorgeous tubular lavender flowers in late spring. Will often re-bloom in the fall.

Native Habitat:  Open rocky outcroppings and gravelly slopes from valleys to subalpine areas in Eastern Oregon & Washington to Central Idaho.

Cultural Requirement

Soil:  Rocky, well-drained or ordinary garden soil.

Moisture Tolerance:  Low to moderate supplemental water needed.

Sun/Shade/Preference:  Full sun.

Transplanting:  Easy from containers.

Propagation:  Seed or cuttings.

Maintenance (pruning, fertilization, deadheading, division, irrigation, etc):  Cut back flower stalks after blooming to assure second round of bloom in the fall.

Insect, disease, or other problems:  None of concern.

Landscape Value

Use in the Landscape:  Creates a large, showy burst of color in early summer and again in fall.

Foliage:  Medium green oblong leaves, mostly along tall flower spikes

Flower:  Medium-large tubular flowers on tall spikes.

Timing:  May-June.

Color:  Lavender/purple.

Form:  Large clump of flowering stalks over small green leafy base.

Texture:  Open, leafy.

Ultimate Size:  24"-36" x 24"-36"

Rate of Growth:  Moderate growth with supplemental water.

Suggested Plant Partners:  Cutleaf Daisy, Beautiful Fleabane, Sulfur Buckwheat.

Availability:  Available at specialty nurseries.

Cultivars:  None.

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