Penstemon strictus

ROCKIES PENSTEMON

Penstemon strictus
ROCKIES PENSTEMON

Penstemon strictus is a little darling.

Long lived & easily grown

This little darling from western USA is one of the longest lived, and most easily grown, of all the gorgeous blue wild Penstemons.

Spires of vivid royal blue blushed with purple

And spires of royal blue trumpets, blushed with rich purple, make a dramatic show during the summer months.

Neat & polite little groundcover

Though it is a neat and polite plant, gently forming a large attractive evergreen clump, to make  the perfect weed suppressing ground cover.
As well as giving a rich show of flowers.
Mass plant for an easy, hardy, groundcover sheet that is spectacular colour in bloom.

Perfect for forming an evergreen hardy edge or in pots

Because Penstemon strictus forms such a neat, dense, glossy, evergreen mound of foliage – it makes a perfect edging plant that not even a Blackbird can scratch out.
It is also pretty filling a container.

Elegant stems for cut flowers & floristry

And it provides excellent stems of elegant cut flowers.
The stems are long enough for medium vases and bouquets.

Evergreen perennial – star for small gardens

Penstemon strictus forms an evergreen perennial clump – so it is always on duty with a neat foliage clump all year round.

45-60cm High when in bloom over summer / otherwise a ground hugging neat clump of foliage approx. 45cm Wide for the rest of the year.

Abundant blooms make a pool of royal blue

Then stars during the summer blooming period with an abundant and repeating show of flower stems.
It is like a pool of deepest royal blue.

Dry hardy & water-wise Penstemon

This tough little species Penstemon is much more dry hardy than its modern, highly bred cousins.
It is native to rocky slopes in the south of the wild west of USA – so it is well acquainted with extremes and ups and downs of climate and rainfall, including heat and cold.

Frost hardy

Hardy little Penstemon strictus can withstand frost down to approx -20°C – that’s a tough frost.

Un-fussy in a wide range of soils

The little blue darling will thrive in a wide range of soils – from sandy, rocky or gravel, to good garden loam.
It even does better in heavy and clay soils than most other Penstemons, providing the site is not waterlogged.
It takes both acid and alkaline soils in its stride.

Full sun to a little light shade

Penstemon strictus is naturally used to full, beating sun. But it will also thrive in a little light shade in all but the coldest districts.

Banquet of nectar for bees & native honey-eating birds

Stacked trumpets of flowers are rich in nectar.
So both native and honeybees are besotted with them, as are other nectar seeking pollinator insects, plus our native honey-eating birds. The Penstemon spires are busy places in summer.

Rabbit & deer resistant

While absolutely no plant is totally immune to starving vermin – Penstemon strictus is way down their menu selection.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY

Sow indoors at any time when suitable temperatures can be provided (15-20°C).
OR
Scatter outdoors in the garden during spring & autumn.

Sow indoors for maximum germination: First sow the seeds in a punnet on the surface of good quality seed raising mix.

Then press the seeds gently to the surface of the mix to ensure good contact.
Now only barely cover the seeds with sieved seed raising mix.
Because these seeds need light to germinate.

Now thoroughly moisten the punnet by standing it in a shallow water bath and allowing the moisture to percolate up to the surface of the mix from below.

And then place in a well-lit position (not in any direct sunlight).
You can use a heat mat if you have one.

Temperatures of 15-20°C. are ideal for germination.

Keep the punnet consistently moist by misting with a spray water-bottle.

Seedlings begin to emerge in 14-21 days approx.

However if the seeds are shy to germinate – then the seeds need chilling to break their natural dormancy.
So wrap the moist, sown punnet in cling wrap & place in fridge (not freezer) for 4-6 weeks.

Then unwrap the punnet & return to a cool, well-lit position at 15-20°C.
Continue to keep moist.
Seedlings emerge in approx. 14-21 days.

Seed Count: 100 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

GROWING: Penstemon strictus

– Height with flowers: 45-60cm approx.
– Width: 60cm approx. in a low, dense, neat groundcover mound.
– Position: Full Sun is ideal, though Penstemon strictus will happily tolerate places that receive sunlight from about 5 hours a day.

– Soil: Penstemon strictus relishes well drained soil, and thrives in rocky soil in it’s native habitat. Though it will tolerate heavy and moist soils better than most of the Penstemon family, who usually prefer it on the dry side.
– Water: Penstemon strictus is amongst the most dry tolerant of all the Penstemon family. Though the whole family is noted for their water-wise abilities to cope without copious water, and Penstemon strictus stands out as being particularly drought resistant.
– Frost: Penstemon strictus is also particularly frost hardy, tolerating hard frosts down to at least -20C.

– Growth: Evergreen perennial clump. Massed flower spires above a neat, low, mound of foliage. So it is an excellent edging plant or compact groundcover.
– Bees & Birds: Native honey-eating birds simply can’t resist sipping nectar from these elegant trumpets, and will perform impressive acrobatic routines all day to make sure they don’t miss even one of the flowers. Bees and other beneficial pollinators find it equally irresistible.

– Easy Care: Cut back spent flower spires to encourage fresh, repeat blooming. Otherwise Penstemon strictus is a low maintenance, easily grown plant, and is not prone to pests and diseases.
– Fragrance: None.
– Deer & Rabbit resistant: Usually not first choice for these pests.
– Origin: Native to the west of North America, as far south as New Mexico.