Penstemon 'Sour Grapes'

beard tongue

• Position: full sun or partial shade
• Soil: fertile, well-drained soil
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: July to October
• Hardiness: frost hardy (will need winter protection in cold areas)
  
  Elegant spikes of small, tubular, foxglove-like flowers appear from July to October among lance-shaped, bright green leaves. This easy-to-grow perennial will quickly form large, leafy clumps and is perfect for adding a splash of colour to the middle of a sunny, well-drained border. If you deadhead regularly, the flowers will persist until the first frosts. The magenta-blue flowers of this penstemon have a metallic sheen, reminiscent of black grapes, which contrasts particularly well with deep purples and blues.
  
  
• Garden care: Remove the faded blooms regularly to prolong flowering. Apply a dry mulch around the base of the plant to protect the roots from frost damage and cut back in spring when new shoots appear low down on the stem. Lift and divide congested clumps in spring.
  
  
  • Eventual Height: 0.6m
  • Eventual Spread: 0.45m
  Penstemon 'Sour Grapes' - beard tongue Greyish-blue flowers with metallic sheen