Penstemon - flowering arrows. Penstemon flower: varieties, planting, cultivation and care

Representatives of the genus penstemon(Penstemon)- plants of North and Central America, there are about 250 species. Based on recent genetic studies, the genus was classified by foreign experts as a member of the plantain family. (Plantaginaceae), but domestic botanists still leave it in the Norichaceae family (Scrophulariaceae).

Yours Latin name The genus was created in 1748 thanks to the British plant collector, Dr. John Mitchell, who worked in America in 1735-1746. Most botanical sources state that the word Penstemon comes from Greek words pente(five) and stemon(thread) and indicates the presence of five stamens in a flower. However, another etymology of this name is more likely, from the Latin paene(almost) and Greek stemon(thread), i.e. “almost a thread”, or “almost a stamen”. The fact is that one of the stamens in a penstemon flower is always sterile (staminode) and is noticeably different from the rest in its bizarre shape, as well as in that it has several hairs at the tip and protrudes far beyond the tube. These signs were the reason for the appearance of the common English name for all penstemons - “Beardtongue”.

Penstemons are often evergreen or semi-evergreen plants, herbaceous perennials or shrubs or subshrubs, from 10 cm to 3 m tall. Leaves are opposite, simple, lanceolate, linear, oval or almost round. The flowers are collected in multi-flowered panicles or racemes on the tops of strong stems, less often solitary. The flowers are tubular, often swollen, with a two-lipped limb of three lower and two upper lobes, reminiscent of foxglove flowers. The fruits are bivalve capsules with numerous small brown or black seeds.

Among the penstemons there are many decorative species, which have long been cultivated on the American continent, and since the 18th century - in Europe. By the way, in the selection of these plants, native America is no match for Europe, where active work with these plants has been carried out since the 19th century. One of the Scottish nurseries offered 500 varieties of penstemon back in 1900! True, by now most of them have been lost, but new ones have appeared, even more beautiful. Penstemons are very popular in the UK, with 33 varieties holding the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Garden Merit award. The growing season of penstemons here lasts up to 6 months, and the flowering of some lasts until November!

Most English pearls do not overwinter in our climate, as they were obtained with the participation of species from California and Mexico. And yet there is something for us too.

Penstemons for annual crops

Many types of penstemons (herbaceous perennials, shrubs and subshrubs) in our latitudes are not winter-hardy. But several perennial species They are able to bloom in the year of sowing, so they can be grown here as annuals. Among them is a collective species - hybrid penstemon (Penstemon x hybridus), combining varieties of complex hybrid origin. All hybrid penstemons are usually semi-evergreen, with narrow, rarely ovate leaves.

One of the most popular varieties -

• Andenken an Friedrich Hahn(syn. Garnet) - hybrid of Penstemon bellflower (Penstemon campanulata), derived from many species, 0.5-0.9 m tall, perennial or semi-evergreen subshrub with thin stems, green spear-shaped leaves and flowers up to 3 cm long, garnet-red (the word garnet translates as "pomegranate"), with a white throat , covered with red strokes. Winter-hardy down to -17 o C. Tolerates poor and dry, alkaline soils, loves the sun.

However, not all hybrid penstemons reproduce by seeds; most retain valuable characteristics of the variety only through vegetative propagation.

• Papal Purple- new, one of the lowest hybrid penstemons, 40 cm high. Semi-evergreen. It has narrow foliage and profuse purple flowers, with darker markings in the white throat, which bloom from early summer until the first frost. Winter-hardy down to -17 o C. Good for borders. Propagated by cuttings, not by seeds.

Among the species grown in annual culture is Hartweg's penstemon (Penstemon hartwegii). The species is named after the German botanist Carl Theodor Hartweg (1812-1871), a researcher of the flora of North and South America.

In warm southern regions, this penstemon can overwinter under mulch (winter-hardy down to -21 o C). The plant is 30-70 cm tall, with straight, branched stems from the base. The leaves are narrow and fleshy. The flowers are large, up to 4 cm long, with a long bladder-shaped tube and a wide two-lipped limb, two-colored - red, dark red or purple, with a white tube inside.

The seeds of this plant are the most common in our sale; for example, we can find the “Chanson” variety mixture of different colors (pink, red, purple). The plants are quite winter-hardy; you can try to keep them under cover even in middle lane.

Also not uncommon are the seeds of penstemon “Spirit”, without specifying the species. Similar to Hartweg's penstemon, it has large ruby-colored flowers with a white neck. Grown as an annual.

Perennial penstemons

There are many winter-hardy penstemons, but most of them are rare in our country. We will focus mainly on the most accessible ones.

Or spreading(Penstemon serrulatus syn. P. diffusus)- a plant of the Pacific coast of northwestern North America, whose range extends to Alaska. Winter-hardy.

Multi-stemmed semi-evergreen perennial up to 70 cm tall, but usually lower. The leaves are lanceolate or oblong-ovate, pointed, unevenly serrate along the edge, leathery. It blooms continuously from the beginning of summer with blue-violet flowers up to 4 cm long, collected in paniculate inflorescences. Propagated by seeds and cuttings.

Unlike most penstemons, it prefers moist soils.

Penstemon rocky (Penstemon rupicola) - rare view up to 15 cm high and 35 cm wide. Winter-hardy down to -34 degrees. Evergreen, with small oval, jagged edges, thick, waxy, bluish-green leaves and delicate large flowers pink and purple shades. It blooms in early summer, sometimes again in autumn. Propagated by seeds and stem cuttings. pH ranges from acidic to slightly alkaline.

• Conwy Lilac- with delicate purple-pink flowers.
• Conwy Rose- with pink-purple flowers.

Suitable for sunny places, rocky gardens and mini rock gardens in containers.

Penstemon bush (Penstemon fructicosus)- a native of the mountainous regions of North America.

A subshrub with stems woody at the base, 30-45 cm tall, growing wider than tall. The leaves are small, from oval to almost round. Blooms in mid-summer with rather large purple blue flowers(pale to deep violet-blue). Winter-hardy down to -31 o C. Propagated by seeds and cuttings. Prefers an open sunny location (partial shade).

It has varieties originating from different climatic zones, so varieties may differ in winter hardiness, for example:

• Purple Haze- a variety less than 20 cm tall, blooming profusely with purple-pink flowers. Winter-hardy down to -34 o C.
• Six Hills- a variety derived from a variety Penstemon fruticosus var. scouleri(zone 8a). A subshrub 15 cm tall and 20 cm wide, which can be grown as an annual up to zone 4 (blooms in the year of sowing). The flowers are pale blue and quite large for a compact plant. Used for mixborders, rocky gardens, containers.

Reproduction

Seed propagation of penstemons is very effective. These plants produce a large number of small seeds (up to 10 thousand in 1 gram), which remain viable for 2 years. Sowing seeds for flowering in the year of sowing can begin in February, but it is optimal to sow in March. Seeds are sown for seedlings on the surface of the soil, almost without covering, and germinated under film or glass in the light at a temperature of +18+22 o C.

Seeds of perennial species are subjected to monthly cold stratification at +5 o C.

The soil should be moist, but not wet. Overdrying should not be allowed, otherwise the seeds will not germinate or the seedlings will not appear smoothly. Germination occurs within 1-3 weeks, depending on the species. After the first true leaves appear, the temperature of the plants is reduced to +16+18 o C and the soil moisture is reduced, the seedlings are protected from direct sun rays. Night temperatures are permissible within +10+15 o C. Penstemons usually show very good germination.

Seedlings are planted in open ground at the end of May. There is no need to rush to land it. Seedlings of annual penstemons do not tolerate frost at all, and flowering will not be accelerated due to early planting, but, on the contrary, will be delayed.

Perennial penstemons are often propagated vegetatively, since seed propagation does not guarantee the preservation of valuable characteristics of the variety. In the spring, after awakening, the plants can be divided. Penstemons are short-lived plants (young plants) and require renewal every 3-5 years.

Not all species reproduce by division; it depends on the structural features of the root system. Therefore, you should pay attention to the methods of reproduction of a particular species. Small-stemmed species and shrubs have a compact root system; they are propagated by stem cuttings, which are separated in the spring, at the beginning of regrowth, and rooted in a greenhouse. In summer, plants can be propagated by green cuttings 10-12 cm long. However, spring cuttings are more reliable, as they give more time to prepare plants for winter. Rooting of cuttings begins within 2 weeks, and at the end of summer many of them will already bloom. Plants grown from cuttings need shelter during the first winter.

If there is cool bright room for wintering, you can also take cuttings from heat-loving species grown as annuals (hybrid penstemon, Hartweg). They are cut from August and the rooted plants are placed in pots in a greenhouse or on an insulated loggia. In spring they grow at a temperature of +15+20°C. You can do it differently - save the selected queen cells, cutting them to 3 leaf nodes, and cut them in the spring. In any case, the effort is worth it, because cuttings bloom a month earlier than those grown from seeds.

Growing

Penstemons are not very demanding plants. They are content with soils of average fertility. Light loams are suitable, for mountain species (rock penstemons, shrubs) - sandy loam and rocky soils. Soil acidity is slightly acidic or neutral; mountain species also thrive in alkaline soils.

In nature, penstemons grow in open areas or in woodlands. In our area, sun is preferred, although light partial shade is possible in the middle of the day.

Plants are drought-resistant and do not like heavy, waterlogged soils, which can suffer from root rot. For this reason, well-drained places are chosen for them. Watering may only be required during dry periods, once every 2 weeks. Penstemon serrata is most tolerant of moist soils.

When planting, under annual penstemons, add a bucket of humus per 1 square meter. m, complex mineral fertilizer with a predominance of phosphorus (for good development of the root system), and do not feed further during the season. Perennial species are fed in early spring with full mineral fertilizer based on 70 g per square meter. m or simply mulch with compost before winter with a layer of 5-8 cm. Excess nitrogen causes intensive growth of greenery to the detriment of flowering, so do not add a lot of organic matter. Mountain species adapted to poor soils are not fed.

Care consists of weeding and loosening. After flowering, cut off the stems, leaving a little for seeds. Pruning stimulates some species re-blooming at the end of summer - beginning of autumn. It is better not to prune penstemons before winter, but to do it in the spring so that the plants overwinter well.

The most likely disease is powdery mildew, which can be combated by spraying plants with pharmaceutical Furacilin (2 tablets per liter of water). Sometimes the leaves are eaten by slugs.

Use in garden design

The advantages of penstemons are their bright exotic flowers and long flowering. Therefore, these plants are best used where they are clearly visible. Annual and tall perennial species look good in solitary plantings in groups. In mixborders they go well with mantles, echinaceas, garden geraniums, carnations, catnips, sages, mountaineers, thymes, sedum, Byzantine sage, Louisiana wormwood, duchesne, ornamental strawberries, variegated molinia and other cereals.

Compact annuals fit well into garden beds. Low-growing species You can plant them in borders and line paths with them. Drought resistance allows penstemons to be successfully used as container plants.

Mountain species and low-growing varieties will become the highlight of a rock garden or gravel garden, or decorate a sunny slope or retaining wall.

The plants are honey-bearing and attract numerous pollinators to the garden.

The inflorescences of these plants are excellent material for bouquets. Flowers are cut early in the morning and cleaned bottom part stems from the leaves and immerse in boiling water for 30 seconds - this way the life in the vase will last up to a week.

The flowering of penstemons will be a spectacular finish summer season in your garden.

Penstemon is not a very popular plant in gardens. He has only started to become more famous recently - and for good reason. This is very beautiful plant, which can decorate any area. When growing a penstemon flower, planting and caring for it should be carried out, observing certain requirements, and then it will definitely reward you with magnificent flowering.

general characteristics

Penstemon belongs to the genus Penstemon, which includes about 270 plant species. The flower belongs to the Norichinaceae family. IN natural nature different types Penstemon can only be found in North America.

Penstemon - perennial herbaceous plant shrub type, which has straight stems. They bear leaves that are lanceolate in shape. The bush can reach a height of up to 1.2 m. Penstemon flowers can have a tubular or bell-shaped shape and are collected in paniculate-type inflorescences. Their color is very diverse: there are white, purple, red, pink and other shades. Flowering generally begins in mid-June.

The lifespan of a flower can be from two to seven years - it depends on the type and the conditions in which it is grown. Although penstemon is a perennial, it is sometimes grown as an annual.

After flowering, a fruit is formed - a bivalve seed pod containing many seeds. They have a brownish tint, angular shape and small size. Seed germination persists for two years. After planting in the ground, seedlings appear in about two weeks.

Plant varieties

There are many types of this unusual flower. Of those that are most often grown, can be distinguished:

Planting penstemon

plant with unusual name is light-loving, so this must be taken into account when planting. You need to choose an area where there will be a sufficient amount of light. You should also make sure that there are no drafts in this place. It is better to choose a soil for planting that is light and well-drained.

First, seeds are sown and seedlings are grown from them. They start doing this around the end of February. They should not be deepened into the ground, because for germination they need sunlight. Some varieties are sown before winter.

Sow seeds in moist soil. After sowing, they are sprinkled with a little sand - a very thin layer. It should first be disinfected, for which you can pour boiling water over it. The top of the seedlings should be covered with glass or film.

After two weeks, the first shoots should begin to appear. In this case, it is better to maintain the temperature at 18-24 degrees. After two more leaves appear, the seedlings are dived into separate containers. It’s good to use special ones for this. peat pots. Towards the beginning of June, seedlings can be transplanted into open ground. It must be taken into account that the earlier young plants are planted, the later they will bloom.

It is not necessary to grow seedlings. You can immediately sow the seeds in open ground. This is done in the spring, after the night frosts have ended, or they are sown before winter, that is, in the fall.

Rules of care

Growing penstemons is a simple process. Of course, they like to be treated with care, but they are not picky. It is very important to take care when planting drainage system. Very It is important to ensure that there is no stagnation of water, because it is very harmful to culture. Even winter frosts cause less harm than excess moisture. And also the root system should not be allowed to dry out. During drought periods, watering should be regular. To avoid problems with soil moisture, its surface can be mulched.

Those parts that dry out should be removed. It is also recommended to loosen the soil around the bushes.

Before the onset of frost, you should take special care of the flower. The ground part of the bushes should be cut off. Cut it off when the penstemon finishes flowering and sheds all its leaves. Cover it with a layer of spruce branches or fallen leaves, making the cover about 15 cm thick.

It is often not necessary to fertilize the flower. This is usually done when planting seedlings or cuttings. In this case, rotted organic matter is used. This feeding can be done three times per season. You can feed the plant with complex mineral fertilizers before the flowering period begins. It is desirable that the composition contains a high phosphorus content - this will make the flowers even more beautiful.

Reproduction methods

There are several ways to propagate ornamental plants. Usually distinguished:

Penstemon flower: photo gallery

Possible problems

A big advantage when growing penstemon is its increased resistance to various diseases. Diseases in this flower develop infrequently, only in very rare cases. When the area is very damp and there is no drainage, the flower can be affected by a fungal infection.

Sometimes the tops of the shoots begin to dry out. With such a disease, it is necessary to cut off all damaged shoots, and if the infection has spread too much, sometimes the entire bush is cut off. Even if you trim the bush completely, new shoots will appear very soon.

Insects, which are pests, usually avoid the flower - and this is a huge plus.

Thus, penstemon is an excellent plant that can decorate any area. In addition, it does not require special care and can be easily propagated using different methods. A wide variety of types, shapes and shades allow it to be used in landscape design.

Penstemon is a perennial shrub or subshrub crop. The plant is native to North and Central America. The flower belongs to the genus Norichaceae, although foreign botanists classify it as belonging to the plantain family, of which there are over 250 species.

General information

The Latin name of the plant translated into Russian sounds like “almost a stamen.” Due to the fact that the flower has one sterile stamen of a bizarre shape, protruding far beyond the petals, and in England penstemon is called “bearded tongue”, due to this feature.

This crop is still rare for our gardens. But thanks to its brightness and unusual appearance, they are beginning to grow it in our country. climatic zone. The plant blooms in early June and flowering lasts for two to three months. It is not difficult to grow it, the main thing is to follow the advice of experienced gardeners and then the plant will delight you with its bright flowers every spring.

Penstemon varieties and types of photos with names

- is a herbaceous bushy perennial with straight stems and lanceolate dark green leaf blades. The height of the crop reaches 1.2 meters. Flowers can be either tubular or bell-shaped. They are collected in paniculate inflorescences, having white, red, lilac, pinkish and other colors. The plant blooms from early to late summer.

– the culture reaches a height of up to 1 meter. The inflorescences are large, light pink. The flowering time of the plant occurs at the beginning of summer and lasts for a month. The variety is frost-resistant and can withstand winter without insulation.

– this variety is distinguished by abundant and early flowering. The height of the bush reaches up to 90 centimeters. The inflorescences have an unusual color - they are white on the inside and scarlet on the outside. Flowering time begins in May and lasts until the end of July.

– the plant was bred relatively recently. It is frost-resistant and abundant flowering. The leaf blades are dark burgundy, lanceolate in shape. Pale pink flowers are collected in paniculate inflorescences. The culture reaches a height of up to 70 centimeters and blooms throughout the summer.

– the height of the crop reaches 60 centimeters. The leaf blades are bright green and lanceolate in shape. The stems are thin and woody. Inflorescences are paniculate, purple in color. This variety blooms from July to October.

Externally, the variety resembles the snapdragon flower. The plant reaches a height of up to 70 centimeters. The inflorescences are large, collected in unusual racemes. Shades of flowers can be white-scarlet, orange, red and purple. Flowering time lasts from mid-summer until the first frost.

- a low-growing herbaceous perennial, reaching a height of up to 30 centimeters. The leaf blades are medium-sized, lanceolate, green. The inflorescences are small and lilac in color. The plant blooms from early summer to mid-autumn.

– the plant reaches a height of up to 70 centimeters and has dark burgundy leaves and stems. Inflorescences are white, racemose with pleasant aroma. The crop blooms from June to the end of August.

– the stems of the plant reach a height of up to 90 centimeters. The flowers are small, resembling bells of a pinkish-lilac hue. The leaf blades are lanceolate in shape and light green in color. The plant blooms from June to September.

– the herbaceous perennial reaches 70 centimeters in height. The leaf blades are lanceolate, green-brown in color. The inflorescences are whitish-pink, racemose. Flowering time lasts from May to October.

It is a spectacular annual, reaching a height of up to 80 centimeters. The leaf blades are dark green, lanceolate with a sharp tip. The flowers are small, bell-shaped, blue and light violet shade. The culture blooms from June to September.

- is a low-growing, bushy perennial, reaching a height of up to 30 centimeters. The leaves are dark green, lanceolate with slight pubescence. The flowers are small, resembling a purple bell in appearance. The flowering time of the plant is in summer.

– the variety is short-growing and reaches a height of up to 45 centimeters. The leaves are dark green with a sharp tip. The inflorescences are racemose, long, bicolor, white-blue or white-red. The culture blooms from July to September.

– The bushy perennial reaches a height of up to 70 centimeters. The leaves are dark green, medium-sized with a pointed end. The inflorescences are large, bicolor white-red, white-pink and white-burgundy. The crop blooms throughout the summer.

– a low-growing variety, reaching a height of up to 20 centimeters. The bush has lush, dark green foliage and pubescent, lanceolate leaf blades. Racemose inflorescences of a pale lavender hue. Flowering time is from June to August.

The plant has large light green leaf blades with a sharp end and tall stems reaching 120 centimeters. The inflorescences are large, racemose. They are white, white-pink, white-violet, white-red and white-purple.

– a perennial crop reaches a height of up to 70 centimeters and has large leaf plates with a pointed end of a dark burgundy hue. The inflorescences are bell-shaped in white, pink, purple and red. The flowering time of the plant is in the summer.

- a low-growing plant with long, narrow leaf blades of a dark olive hue. The inflorescences are dense, reminiscent of snapdragons, of a rich sky blue color. The flowering time of penstemon falls in June and lasts until September.

– this variety of penstemon reaches a height of up to 60 centimeters and has dark burgundy leaf blades with a narrow end. The inflorescences of the culture are racemose, pinkish-white. The flowering time of the plant lasts all summer.

– the crop reaches a height of up to 80 centimeters and has tall woody stems. The leaves of the plant are green, with a sharp end. The flowers are large, cream-colored, with a purple center and streaks. The plant blooms from June to September.

– the height of the crop reaches up to 30 centimeters. Stems are straight, woody, with dark green lanceolate foliage. The inflorescences are large, bright yellow, blooming luxuriantly. Penstemon flowering time lasts from June to August.

Penstemon planting and care in open ground

Penstemon is a light-loving plant, for this reason the area for planting it should be chosen well lit, but drafts must be avoided. The soil for the crop should be light with good drainage.

The plant can be planted in open ground as seedling method, and seed. To grow seedlings you should take a container with fertile soil and in February, sow seeds into it, slightly deepening them into the soil and moistening the soil with a spray bottle. The seeds must be sprinkled with fried sand on top, then re-moistened, covered with film and put in a warm, sunny place for germination.

In two weeks the first young plants will begin to appear. In order for penstemon to germinate faster, the temperature in the greenhouse should be maintained at least + 20 degrees, ventilated once a day and monitor soil moisture.

When the first leaf blades appear, the young plants need to be planted in peat pots. At the end of May, the plants must be transferred to open ground, taking care of the soil and drainage in advance. It is also necessary to take into account the fact that the earlier the plants are planted in the garden, the later they will begin to bloom.

Torenia is also a member of the Norichnikov family. It can be grown with care at home without much hassle if you follow the rules of agricultural technology. You can find all the necessary recommendations in this article.

Watering penstemon

The flower needs regular watering, which is especially important if the summer is dry. However, you need to ensure that the soil has time to dry out between waterings.

To ensure that the water does not stagnate and the root system can “breathe,” when planting young trees, care should be taken for good drainage in the form of a layer of coarse sand or fine expanded clay, laid at the bottom of the planting pit.

To reduce the frequency of watering, you should mulch the soil around the plants with compost or dry peat. Also, after each watering, the soil needs to be loosened and weeds pulled out.

Soil for penstemon

The soil for the crop should be chosen with high acidity, nutritious, well-drained and loose.

For this purpose, garden soil is mixed with compost, peat, sand or fine gravel. In order to achieve the desired level of acidity, charcoal is added to the soil.

Penstemon transplant

So that the plant does not lose its decorative properties, it should be replanted every five years. Usually transplantation is carried out in the spring, by bush division. For this purpose they take mature plant, carefully dig it up and divide it into parts, trying not to damage the root system.

After this, the resulting cuttings are transferred to a new bed, not forgetting to create a drainage layer. When the plants are planted, the soil should be lightly pressed, watered and mulched. The plant's adaptation time takes about a month.

Penstemon fertilizer

The first feeding as compost is mixed into the soil when planting young animals. Organic fertilizers applied under the bushes three times a season.

Before flowering, experienced gardeners recommend using a comprehensive mineral fertilizing with a high phosphorus content. With its help you can enhance flowering and influence decorative characteristics colors.

Penstemon flowering

The plant blooms in June and can last until the end of summer or until the first frost. Everything will depend on the variety. The flowers of the culture may look like bells or snapdragons.

Mostly, the buds are collected in dense large clusters of white, pink, blue, red, purple, orange, yellow, and there are also varieties with two-color colors. After flowering, seeds begin to form, which are used for propagation of the crop.

Penstemon pruning

The plant only needs drastic pruning late autumn in preparation for winter.

During the growing season it is necessary to remove withered leaves, stems and inflorescences, as well as thin out overgrown shrubs.

Preparing penstemon for winter

Some varieties of penstemon in our climate zone are grown as perennials due to their southern origin. In preparation for winter, perennials are cut at the root and covered with a layer of dry foliage or spruce branches.

To prevent snow melting in the spring from causing the root system to become wet, the plant must be provided with good drainage when planting and removed every spring. snow mass from the planting site when it begins to melt.

Penstemon growing from seeds

The most common method of propagating penstemon is to grow the plant by seed. Seeds can be purchased at the store or collected yourself after they ripen.

If you grow penstemon from seeds, then sowing them should be done either in the fall or in the spring, when the threat of frost has subsided. Sow the seeds immediately in open ground, sprinkled with a small layer of soil.

Some species require stratification, such as alpine penstemon. To do this, they can be sown under winter period, in October-November, in open ground, but it is safer to sow in a container, barely sprinkled with sand or soil on top.

The container with the sown seeds is first kept in a room at room temperature for about three weeks; the seeds swell in moist soil and warmth. Then cover the container with one layer of lutrasil and take it out into the garden.

Lutrasil on the container must be secured by any in a convenient way, for example, they tie it around the pot with an elastic band, otherwise it will be blown away by the wind - this cover is made so that weed seeds do not get into the container with the sown seeds with the wind.

The container is left in the garden for at least two months, where they undergo natural stratification during the cold season. If there is snow on the ground, the removed container is completely covered with it - melted snow water has a beneficial effect on seed germination.

In the spring, a bowl with crops is brought into a greenhouse or room for germination. The first shoots may appear within ten days. Some seeds bloom already in the year of sowing.

Penstemon propagation by cuttings

To obtain planting material, shoots that do not have flowers should be cut off. Then they must be treated with a root formation stimulator and placed in moist soil in a shaded area of ​​the garden bed, covered with half a plastic bottle.

Once roots have formed, the cuttings can be planted in a permanent growing location.

Penstemon propagation by layering

Climbing and low-growing varieties are suitable for rooting by layering. For this purpose, bend the outermost shoot to the ground and sprinkle it with soil.

In a month, roots will appear on the layering and then it will need to be separated, dug out of the ground and transplanted into a prepared hole.

Penstemon propagation by dividing the bush

This propagation method is used during transplantation. To obtain planting material, an adult plant needs to be dug up, the root system cleared of soil and the bush divided into several parts. Then each division should be planted in a separate hole in a permanent place of growth.

It is important to note that only those plants that are already three years old are suitable for propagation by bush division. If you divide earlier, they will die.

Division for the purpose of rejuvenation is carried out every five years. It is not worth abandoning the procedure, as the crop begins to age, ceases to form new shoots, cease to bloom, and ultimately loses its decorative effect.

Diseases and pests

Most often, when growing this crop, gardeners are faced with drying of the tops of the penstemon . If such a problem is discovered, you should trim the penstemon at the root. Refusal of such a radical measure will lead to the death of the plant. After pruning, it will quickly recover and produce new shoots.

When the soil is heavily flooded and water stagnates in the root system, gray rot develops, which makes itself felt by wilting of plant stems . To save penstemon, it is necessary to loosen the soil and water the crop with a fungicide solution.

Since the plant is not interested in pests, there is no need to be afraid of their invasion.

Conclusion

Growing a plant is not difficult. Even a novice gardener can cope with this task. The culture is moderately capricious, it is easy to propagate and it can grow quite successfully in our climate zone.

It is for this reason that every gardener who loves beautiful, bright and unusual plants, you simply must have at least one specimen of penstemon in your garden.

Name: comes from the Greek words "pente" - five and "stemon" - filament, by the number of stamens in a flower.

Penstemon davidsonii
Photo by Irina Makhrova

Description: The genus contains 250 species, naturally occurring mainly in North and Central America and one in East Asia. Within Russia there is one species P. frutescens Lamb., growing in the Far East.

Plants are perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous, up to 100 cm tall. The stems are strong, weakly branched from the base. The leaves are large, lanceolate, entire, bright green, shiny, arranged oppositely. The flowers are numerous, of various sizes and colors, collected in dense apical paniculate inflorescences, sometimes solitary, white, pink, red, blue, purple, with a long vesicular tube and a two-lipped limb. The fruit is a bivalve multi-seeded capsule. The seeds are very small, angular, brown. There are about 10,000 seeds in 1 g, which remain viable for 2 years; when sown, they germinate in two weeks.

How is an annual plant grown? Penstemon hybrid(P. x hybridus).

Penstemon bearded-Penstemon barbatus (Cav.) Nutt. = Chelonebarbata Homeland - western regions of North America. Perennial herbaceous plant 70-90 cm tall. Stems are straight, branched, strong. The leaves are dense, lanceolate to linear. Flowers are up to 2.5 cm in diameter, pink or scarlet-red, collected in a narrow, racemose inflorescence 25-30 cm long. Blooms in June-August for 35-45 days. In culture since 1793. There are forms with white and pink flowers. On the right is the variety " Coccineus"The plant is winter-hardy down to -35 degrees.

Penstemon Kobo- Penstemon cobaea It is native to the west coast of North America, where it grows on dry open prairies, pastures and slopes. Short-lived perennial. Basal leaves are often absent. Stem leaves are thick, smooth, toothed, sessile. Stems are erect, from one to four. The flowers are large, pale purple, white or pinkish. The corolla is smooth on the inside, slightly pubescent on the outside. The inside of the throat has purple streaks. Blooms in May-June. Pollinated by bees. Does well on chalk, limestone, sandy or loamy soils. It blooms from seeds 2-3 years after sowing. Does not tolerate waterlogging. Photo by Mikhail Polotnov

Penstemon Davidson- Penstemon davidsonii Greene Dasanthera= Penstemon ellipticus J.M.Coult. & E. Fisch. (var.) Homeland: mountains of the USA and Canada. Creeping perennial 5-10 cm tall. The leaves are appressed, oval, slightly pubescent or smooth, 15 mm long. The flowers are red-violet, 20-40 mm long, collected in a compact, few-flowered inflorescence. To grow, you need a dry, sunny place with poor, sandy, well-drained soil. For the winter, shelter from dampness is required. It winters safely only under stable snow cover. Has three varieties: Var. davidisonii(see photo on the left) - corolla 2-3.6 cm long, leaves spatulate. Found in southern Oregon and Washington and northern California. Var. menziesii(see photo on the right) - corolla 2-3.6 cm long, leaves lanceolate with noticeably jagged edges. Found in northern Washington State. Var. praeteritus: corolla 3.4-4.5 cm long. The tip of the leaf is sharp. Found in southeastern Oregon.

Penstemon spreading or serrate- Penstemon diffusus = P. serrulatus = Cascade Penstemon Native to southeastern Washington, northeastern Oregon, and west-central Idaho. Semi-evergreen perennial plant. Forms a bush up to 40 cm high and 30 cm in diameter from numerous shoots. The leaves are leathery, dark green, oval, with a sharp tip, serrated. It blooms during the summer with pink-violet tubular flowers up to 4 cm long. Sepals are glandular, 7-15 mm long. One of the few penstemons that prefers moist soils. Easily propagated by seeds and cuttings. Frost-resistant. There is a white-flowered form. Growing zone: 5-8. Photo by Evgenia Maksimenko Photo by Mikhail Polotnov

Penstemon foxglove- Penstemon digitalis Homeland: Eastern states of North America One of the most frost-resistant species. Zone: 2-8. Perennial 60-120 cm tall. The basal leaves are evergreen, lanceolate. The flowers are tubular, pinkish on the outside and white on the inside. Blooms in early summer. Pollinated by bees. "Husker Red" (see photo on the left) - bronze-red foliage and masses of white or pinkish airy flowers. "Evelyn" - bright pink flowers. Prefers a sunny location, tolerates light partial shade. The soil must be fertile, well-drained and acidic. It tolerates dampness more easily than other species. Faded inflorescences are removed. Seeds germinate in 2-3 weeks at a temperature of 15-20 degrees in the light. Individual shoots may appear within 1-4 months. Photo on the right EDSR.

Penstemon bush - Penstemon fructicosus Homeland - the mountains of North America. Perennial semi-shrub plant with shoots up to 40 cm long. Violet-blue to pale purple flowers appear in spring and summer. The plant is frost-resistant. Varieties: Var. fruticosus. Homeland: the mountains of southern British Columbia, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Subshrub, forms dense carpets. Numerous shoots can reach 40 cm in length and branch freely. The leaves are evergreen, leathery, lush green, up to 6 cm long, indistinctly toothed, usually 2-7 times longer than wide. The sepals are glandular, 5-15 mm long, the corolla is blue-lavender to violet, up to 5 cm long with a whitish or yellowish spot in the center. The flowers are tubular, the lower lip is longer than the upper. Var. scouleri. The leaves are 2-5 cm long, linear in shape, indirectly toothed, 6-10 times longer than wide. Mountains of southeastern British Columbia, northeastern Washington, and northern Idaho. Var. serratus. Leaves are 1-2.5 cm long with sharply serrated edges. Mountains of southeastern Washington, northeastern Oregon, and west-central Idaho. Penstemon futicosus ssp. cardwelliHowell Piper(Penstemon cardwellii). Homeland - the mountain slopes of Oregon and Washington. Creeping perennial 10-30 cm tall. The stems easily take root when in contact with the soil. The leaves are smooth, oval, 15-35 mm long, with a blunt tip. The flowers are blue-violet or violet. The corolla is 30-38 mm long on the outside, smooth, 10 mm in diameter. Blooms luxuriantly in June-July, and often again in the fall. To grow, you need a dry, sunny place with poor, sandy, well-drained soil. For the winter, shelter from dampness is required.

Penstemon coarse-haired - Penstemon hirsutus (L.) willd.= P. pubescens sol Penstemon hirsutus f. nana Photo by Mikhail Polotnov Homeland - eastern North America Frost-resistant perennial 40-80 cm tall. Zone: 3-8. The leaves are pubescent, bright green, lanceolate. It blooms with funnel-shaped pink and pale purple flowers in June-August. Requires a sunny location, tolerates light partial shade. The soil should be well drained. "Pygmaeus" – pale lavender flowers on dark purple peduncles up to 15 cm tall. Bush up to 20-30 cm in diameter. f. albiflorus– white-flowered form, 40 cm tall with dark green leaves. var. minimus– pale purple flowers on peduncles up to 25 cm tall.

Penstemon brilliant- Penstemon nitidus An amazing penstemon from North America, completely frost-hardy in the Middle Zone: zone 3. In North America it grows in dry, poor clay soils from Colorado further north entering zone 3 in Canada. Erect perennial up to 20-25 cm tall. Leaves are glaucous, stem sessile, opposite, short 2.5 cm long, oval-lanceolate; basal leaves are 9 cm long and 1.5 cm wide with a long petiole. In the Moscow region it blooms at the end of May; the flowers are large, up to 2 cm in length, when opening they are sky blue with the gradual addition of crimson shades to light lilac, there are a lot of flowers and they are collected in spectacular inflorescences - it is impossible to pass by the flowering plant! Photo of Vasilyev Oleg

Penstemon pine leaf - Penstemon pinifolius Originates from New Mexico and Arizona. An evergreen light green subshrub with numerous thin, low-branching stems up to 20-30 cm high. The leaves are opposite, narrow, up to 2-3 cm long, densely located on the stem like the needles of a pine tree. Flowers in racemose inflorescences at the ends of the shoots are bright red, up to 3-4 cm in length, with a narrow long tube and a two-lipped corolla (the lower lip is made of 3 free leaves, and the upper lip is made of 2 fused leaves). Flowering is quite abundant. Available cultural forms with light yellow flowers. Blooms in July-August. Seeds are not formed under our conditions. The plant is propagated by dividing clumps in the spring in May - early June or by cuttings at the same time. Cuttings must be rooted in a greenhouse. It is better to plant in dry, warm places with good drainage on loose fertile soil. You can add a little pine litter or some rotted sawdust to the soil to make it loose. Prefers open sunny places or light partial shade. Grows better on acidic soils. The plant can be classified as exotic because of its unusually colored and beautifully shaped flowers, located as if against a dense background of coniferous branches. The plant is well grown in small groups in areas of continuous flowering. As a rule, it forms drooping bushes that do not grow very wide. If you manage to adapt to the culture of this plant, then you can create magnificent decorative leafy carpets from it. big size. When cultivating this plant, special attention should be paid to its low winter hardiness. Therefore, it cannot be planted in rock gardens on high terraces, where, as a rule, much stronger soil freezing occurs. For the winter, the plant should be covered with spruce branches. Photo by Mikhail Polotnov

Penstemon tall - Penstemon procerus v. formosus A.Nelson The species is from the high-elevation (8200-11,800’) regions of California, where it is found on volcanic deposits (Siskiyou Province, 2700m). It grows well and winters in the Moscow region. Form formosus the most frost-resistant of this species: in addition to warm California and Oregon, it enters Z5 in the states of Nevada and Idaho. The plant is only 3-5 cm in height, but over the years it can grow up to 12-15 cm in height and up to 50-60 cm in width. Strongly branching shoots allow you to form a dense bush, which from a distance can be mistaken for a pillow. In the Moscow region it blooms in late May - early June and may re-bloom in the fall. U v. formosus short (up to 20cm) peduncle with blue flowers located at the end, unlike var. tolmiei with a longer peduncle and 2-3 flower drops. Like most penstemons, it prefers sunny places with good drainage, but can withstand heavy watering and shading with lutrasil. No summer burning of leaves in the heat was observed; it can bloom from seeds in the 2nd year, but mass flowering occurs in the 3rd year. Amazing penstemon, looks great from spring to late autumn and is easy to cultivate. Photo of Vasilyev Oleg

Penstemon rupicola - Penstemon rupicola Native to North America, it grows from Washington State to Northern California on cliffs and rocky outcrops. Especially attractive appearance For alpine slide and container culture. A shrub with lodging tangled shoots up to 10 cm long. The bluish leaves are oval in shape with small or large teeth. Basal leaves are 8-18 mm long, stem leaves are smaller. The flowers are collected in a one-sided raceme at the ends of the stems. Calyx 6-11 mm long with oval sepals. Pink to lavender and reddish tubular corolla 2.5 to 3.7 cm long. This species is widely available in the West from companies that specialize in selling seeds of wild plants. Requires well-drained soil and is the most sensitive to dampness of all species of the genus. Photo by Anna Petrovicheva

Penstemon vertical- Penstemon strictus Benth. Habroanthus= Penstemon strictiformis Rydb.(ssp.) Homeland - southwestern USA. Frost-resistant. Zone: 3-8. The leaves are smooth, oblong-lanceolate, sessile. The basal plants are collected in a wintering rosette. The flowers are blue, blue-violet, collected in spectacular spike-shaped inflorescences, appearing in mid-summer. Corolla 25-30 mm long. It spreads by underground stolons and forms dense thickets. Tolerates partial shade, is not picky about soils, but prefers calcareous ones. Basic condition successful cultivation– good drainage. One of the easiest in the culture. It is better to sow before winter. When sowing in spring, stratification is required for 4-6 weeks. Photo on the left of Mikhail Polotnov Photo on the right EDSR.

Penstemon vipplenus - Penstemon whippleanus Gray Homeland - mountains of the USA and Canada. Frost-resistant in the middle zone. Zone 4-9. Perennial 20-60 cm tall. Blooms in mid-summer with dark purple flowers with light stripes. The color of the flower can vary from intense purple to lighter. There is a white-flowered form. Corolla 18-28 cm long. This is one of the easiest penstemons to grow, as it tolerates partial shade and can tolerate moister soils than most other types of penstemons. But for a more successful wintering it is better to provide drainage. Seeds for uniform germination must be stratified at low temperatures within 6 weeks.

Location: photophilous. Penstemons are planted in dry, warm, sheltered areas with good drainage.

The soil: prefer light, drained soils well seasoned with rotted manure. For successful development, an acidic substrate is required - plants do not like lime.

Care: alpine penstemon and bell-shaped penstemon in the middle zone need light shelter for the winter with foliage, a layer of 10-15 cm. Some creeping species are prone to strong growth, which takes up more space. In a large rock garden this does not interfere, but in small ones the plant needs to be trimmed.

Penstemon pinatifida Photo by EDSR.

Photo by EDSR.

Penstemon barbatus "Cambridge Mix" Photo by EDSR.

Diseases and pests: Often, as a result of the disease, the tops die off, which leads to the drying out of the plant. In this case, the diseased branch must be cut off and the plant itself must be trimmed. Soon growth resumes, the plant is densely covered with new branches.

Reproduction: seeds and dividing the bush. When growing perennial penstemons from seeds, cold stratification for a month is desirable. This provokes more friendly germination. The seeds are usually small. They are sown in a light, moist soil mixture (the seeds will not germinate if it is dried out the slightest), covered with a 3 mm layer of sterile sand and covered plastic film. The bush is divided in the spring before growth begins; cuttings are taken in the spring with root cuttings, and in the summer with stem cuttings. Creeping species can be propagated by rooted parts of stems.

Penstemon confertus
Photo by Mikhail Polotnov

Usage: penstemon is planted in groups in prefabricated flower beds or in stripes on ridges, planted with low border plants, for example, ageratum, lobularia, malcolmia, etc. Penstemon grows very well in containers, outdoor vases, boxes and pots installed on sunny verandas or loggias with a canopy from rain. Its stems bend, hang down, and the inflorescences turn upward. In the ground, penstemon flowers deteriorate and fall off in windy and rainy weather. The inflorescences are suitable for cutting into bouquets. Although they don't last long in water, they look great.

Partners: successfully combined with plants of orange and yellow tones - calendula, dimorphotheca, rudbeckia, coreopsis; with white flowers - lobularia primortica, a double form of yarrow.

The penstemon flower is native to North America and East Asia. This is a perennial plant. It has reddish foliage with an orange tint and a large number of white or pinkish flowers. Its stems are strong, with a small number of branches from the very base. But the leaves are large, smooth, tapering towards the top, and located oppositely. Begins to produce color in early June. This magnificent plants for any garden that will delight guests. One of the most frost-resistant plants. It is usually planted in small groups in flower beds or in paths in flower beds. Grows well in outdoor vases, containers and pots. Look at the photo of penstemon in the stage of budding and flowering in various groups:

Growing: planting and caring for penstemon

Penstemon can be grown from seeds. To do this, you should sow it for seedlings approximately at the end of winter - beginning of spring, without burying it in the ground, since in order for the seeds to sprout they need daylight. Growing penstemon is not particularly difficult - the culture will provide the hardworking gardener with magnificent flowering for any garden. There are, of course, types of penstemon that can be sown in winter, for example, coarse-haired penstemon. If you snow the seeds in advance, this will help them to germinate better. Penstemon is planted with seeds; the seedling growing method is preferable, in which active flowering can be obtained already for the first time. It is better to have the soil for sowing moist, otherwise the seeds will not be able to break through. The crop is covered with sand in a layer of approximately 3 mm. In this case, it is recommended to disinfect the sand in advance with boiling water and cover it with film or glass. At a temperature of 18 - 24 degrees Celsius, the seeds will produce the first sprouts in about half a month. After this, it is advised to lower the ambient air temperature for penstemon germination to 15 degrees Celsius and continue to keep the seedlings in small pots containing peat and humus. This will ensure early flowering which usually begins in mid-summer and continues until autumn. They also suggest transplanting plant sprouts from one pot to another, but only when they have formed at least two full-fledged leaves. It is recommended to plant seedlings in open ground only at the end of May. It is recommended to maintain a distance of 30–35 cm between the bushes. Remember that if you transplant the plant ahead of time to a place where it will already grow constantly, it will begin to bloom later. It is advisable to grow penstemon in windless conditions, otherwise it may lose all its inflorescences. When caring for penstemon, you should definitely pay attention to drainage so that there is no standing water at the roots and the plant does not get wet in winter. It is recommended to water frequently, especially in hot weather. Don't let the roots dry out. It is advised to loosen the soil near the bushes. In winter, it is recommended to cover the plant with a layer of foliage 15 cm thick. The plant can also be propagated by rhizomes. You should dig up the rhizomes when the plant is 3-5 years old. And just replant them. The following photo shows penstemon grown by dividing the rhizome:

It prefers full sun, but will tolerate partial shade. The plant requires well-drained soil. Thrives in loose, gravelly soil. These plants do not require fertilizer. This will only result in extra foliage, not color. But if you want, then twice a month will be enough. Choose a location where the plants will have enough space. Penstemon does not tolerate embarrassment. plant better in spring, the distance between plants is from 1 to 3 meters from each other. Dig a hole twice the diameter of the pot. Carefully remove the plant and place it in the hole so that the top of the root is level with the surface of the soil. Don't forget to water. Apply thin layer compost every spring, and then a 4 cm layer of mulch to retain moisture and fight weeds. Water the plant during the summer if the summer is dry. Penstemon is recommended to be trimmed. Usually at the end of April or beginning of May.

The main types of penstemon for growing on the site

For growing in a plot next to country house you can select the most suitable plants with unique botanical properties. The main types of penstemon for cultivation, which do not require special skills and knowledge from the grower, are presented below. You can see the main types of penstemon in the photo, illustrating the richness of shades of the petals of this flower: Penstemon hartwega Height - 50-70 cm. Reminiscent of a snapdragon. The flowers are large, collected in tassels. The flowers have a variety of shades: pink, crimson, red, purple, and the tubes inside the flower can be either pure white or variegated. Blooms this type plants from mid-summer until the onset of frost.


Penstemon bearded Flowers are pink or carmine in color. Begins to bloom in May to June. The fruit is a multi-seeded capsule. The stem is straight. Reaches 90 cm in height. At the nodes of the stems, the leaves are collected in pairs. The flowers are small and shaped like a narrow tube.


Penstemon kobo There are no leaves at the roots. The leaves of the stem are thick, smooth with teeth. Stems are straight. The flowers are large in lilac, white or pink shades. Flowering in May-June.

Penstemon foxglove It grows in the eastern states of North America. It reaches a height of 60-120 cm. The basal leaves are evergreen. The flowers are tube-shaped, pink on the outside and white on the inside. Blooms in June. The stems bend, hang, and the inflorescences look up.


Penstemon sensation Height - 45-70 cm. Flowers up to 5 cm long. Flower color is two-tone - white-pink, white-lilac, white-red, white-violet.


Penstemon hybrid Flowering time is from May to October. Grows in America and Mexico. The flowers are cast in various shades - from white to bright red. The corolla is purple, in the area of ​​the depression it is white. The leaves are long, ovate, smooth, bright green.