General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Wet Mesic
Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 7a -17.8 °C (0 °F) to -15 °C (5 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 9a
Plant Height: 18 - 24 inches
Plant Spread: 12 - 18 inches
Leaves: Semi-evergreen
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Lavender
Bloom Size: Under 1"
Flower Time: Spring
Late spring or early summer
Summer
Uses: Cut Flower
Will Naturalize
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Butterflies
Hummingbirds
Other Beneficial Insects: special value to native bees
Resistances: Deer Resistant
Gophers/Voles
Propagation: Seeds: Depth to plant seed: barely cover
Suitable for wintersowing
Start indoors
Pollinators: Birds
Bees
Various insects
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil

Image
Common names
  • Gulf Coast Penstemon
  • Brazos Penstemon
  • Sharpsepal beardtongue
  • Pride of the Mountain
  • Penstemon

Photo Gallery
Location: My yard in Arlington, Texas.
Date: Spring 2010
The color of these flowers is amazing.
Photo by molanic
Location: my garden
Date: 2017-03-31
Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2012-05-24
Location: My garden
Date: 2017-03-31
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2015-06-10
Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2017-03-27
Location: Houston, TX
Date: 2008-04-02
Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2016-04-21
Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2017-04-07
Germinated in 2 weeks.
Location: my garden - back 
Date: 2015-04-06
Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2012-05-25
Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2006-07-26
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2016-03-19
Location: my garden 
Date: 2017-04-18
Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2017-03-30
Location: Houston, TX
Date: 2008-04-02
Location: Houston, TX
Date: 2008-04-02

Date: 2010-05-11
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2015-05-24
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2015-05-24
Location: Kyle, Texas
Date: 2018-03-30
Tough and easy Penstemon--a pollinator favorite
Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2016-04-21
Location: western Oregon
Date: 2015-12-20
Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2012-05-25
Photo by Joy
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: My Garden - Lake Jackson, TX
Date: 2010-05-21
Leaves of basal rosette significantly different than stem leaves
Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2015-05-28

Photo courtesy of Annie's Annuals and Perennials
  • Uploaded by Joy

Photo courtesy of Annie's Annuals and Perennials
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Houston, TX
Date: 2008-04-02

Date: 2009-03-09

Date: 2006-04-07
Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2017-03-10
Location: my garden 
Date: 2016-11-07
This plant is tagged in:
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Comments:
  • Posted by TexasPlumeria87 (Plano, TX - Zone 8a) on Apr 5, 2017 8:15 PM concerning plant:
    This has become one of my favorite spring wildflowers. I like that it's evergreen and it adds a nice woodland feel to my dappled shade garden. I have four plants growing around a bird bath. Even during really dry conditions, they don't wilt and I've seen a few pollinators visiting the blooms.
  • Posted by SCButtercup (Simpsonville SC - Zone 7b) on Aug 27, 2014 4:30 AM concerning plant:
    Put this plant near the front of the garden, with a dark-foliage annual, such as coleus, in front for contrast. The bright apple-green foliage and early blooms make for a lovely early-spring show. By the time the bright apple-green foliage is getting a big old, the coleus will be tall enough to disguise the decline. Also, use a short tomato cage when shoots first emerge in spring to keep them from flopping after blooming. The flowers last a long time, so extra support helps.
Plant Events from our members
piksihk On April 16, 2022 Bloomed
piksihk On March 25, 2020 Bloomed
piksihk On March 21, 2019 Bloomed
Round bed several clumps and lots of seedlings
piksihk On April 1, 2017 Bloomed
Round bed/ HW
piksihk On May 12, 2016 Transplanted
Seedlings to round bed
piksihk On December 5, 2015 Harvested
Seed pods collected
piksihk On April 7, 2015 Bloomed
lovesblooms On March 1, 2020 Seeds sown
winter sow
lovesblooms On January 15, 2017 Seeds sown
w/s
lovesblooms On April 20, 2015 Seeds germinated
lovesblooms On January 29, 2015 Seeds sown
winter sown
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