Pensham Czar Penstemons

Penstemon Pensham Czar

If you're after value for money in your plants, look no further than Penstemon Pensham Czar - it flowers for an incredible five months from June-October! It's a real beauty, with bright purple, bell-shaped flowers outside and around the lips, with a white throat. 

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Growing to 90cm tall, Czar penstemons are semi-evergreen with mid-green, narrow leaves with good slug resistance; a blessing for organic gardeners. They also stand up well to drought when established, so keep them where you can see them to appreciate the delicacy of the flowers - near a seating area on the patio - they're also great in pots.

Ideal for sun or partial shade, the only thing they won't tolerate is cold, wet feet in winter - add grit when planting to improve drainage and avoid clay soils - grow instead in containers or raised beds.

Great In Your Garden...

The Pensham Series of Penstemons are extremely versatile - they'll put up with exposed and coastal gardens - plant them along with both early and late summer perennials and their long flowering period will provide a bridge between the two. Think lupins and foxgloves on one hand and Japanese anenomes on the other.

If your garden has heavy clay soil, plant in large containers - hostas will happily shelter under Penstemons and they look excellent together, especially in partial shade.

Features

• Colour: Purple outside, white throat.
• Flowering: June to October.
• Foliage: Mid-green leaves.
• Height: 90cm.
• Spread: 45cm.
• Spacing: 45cm.
• Position: Sun or partial shade.
• Soil: Any except heavy clay or waterlogged.

Did You Know...

Penstemon gets its name from the Greek pent, meaning five, and stemon, meaning stamen, as it has five stamens. It's sometimes called a beardtongue, as flowers look like an open mouth with a fuzzy tongue sticking out.

Grow in sun or partial shade. Add organic matter and grit if needed when planting 45cm apart. Water well until established. Protect crown with straw or bark chippings over winter and leave stems on. Suitable for containers.

Reasonably drought tolerant once established. Likes fertile soil - feed in spring and again in midsummer with a general fertiliser. Deadhead regularly. Divide in spring.