'Midnight Masquerade' Beardtongue (Penstemon)
Perennial
- Flowers are a magnet for hummingbirds & butterflies!
- More colorful and longer blooming than other penstemons.
- Drought tolerant, native, & easy to grow.
- Zone 3-8, sun, 40" tall x 32" wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Details
Patent #: USPP 29,603
Common name: Beardtongue
Zone: 3 - 8
Sun exposure: Sun (> 6 hours sun)
Height x width: 36-40" X 28-32"
Flower color: Pink
Foliage color: Burgundy Purple
Season of interest: Summer
Bloom time: Early summer
Features: Rain gardens, rabbit resistant, Proven Winners, native, deer resistant, drought tolerant, cold tolerant
Uses: Wildlife gardens, native plant gardens, cottage gardening, foundation planting, massing, naturalizing, specimen
How to Grow
Light: Full sun (> 6 hours sun) for best flowering and foliage color.
Water: Dry to medium. Water regularly until established. Plants have good drought tolerance.
Spacing: 28 - 32 inches apart
Fertilizing: Nothing special is required. If desired, apply a general-purpose garden fertilizer in early spring.
Winterizing: No special care is needed.
Maintenance & pruning: Cut back plants almost to the ground in late winter to early spring as soon as new growth appears
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.
Hello, my Midnight masquerade Beardtongue (Penstemon) did not survive, regardless of me putting everything to make it grow. I was looking forward to it really enhancing my garden bed with it colors. I watched it to no avail. Please, refund…Thank you.
We're sorry you're having trouble with your plants. Our team of horticulture experts would love to take a closer look! Please contact us at [email protected] with your order number and photos of the plants so we can better assist you. All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
This plant has produced many leaves at its base but no stems and flowers. It is planted in a pot with nutritional soil.
Now 5 months later, this is how it looks--healthy but not as advertised.
I’ve bought from butterfly bushes.com before and they always send healthy plants that prosper.
Arrived safely!
Arrived slightly beat up, but that's because FedEx really does not care about your package. Overall, the Midnight Masquerade is fine. I would say, for a quart specimen, it's much "fuller" than other quart size plants I received.
I planted this penstemon last year and it didn’t do anything. It didn’t grow even a centimeter. It was planted in full to part sun. The penstemon didn’t survive the winter either and I even asked if this plant was okay for zone 4b.
We’re sorry you’re having trouble with your plants! Our fall guarantee covers plants received after September 1 until May 2026, so we have you covered. Please send your order number and pictures of your plants to [email protected] to start the claims process. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
Plants arrived in a timely manner and in great condition. I can’t wait till next spring to enjoy these beautiful plants.
Healthy plant thickly clustered base. Great color.
Arrived healthy and well packed for shipping
This has died and I would like my money back.
We're sorry you're having trouble with your plants. Our team of horticulture experts would love to take a closer look! Please contact us at [email protected] with your order number and photos of the plants so we can better assist you. All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
Great plants & fast shipping
Beautiful plants! Perfectly packed and shipped.Arrived quickly and in perfect planting condition. Can’t wait to see how they overwinter in my Pacific NW garden! Thanks for a great buying experience. I’ll be back as a satisfied customer!
I love the midnight foliage! It's striking along the green of boxwoods. Still quite small but filling out nicely! So far the rabbits have left them alone. 🤬 Order was goofed up at first but it was righted immediately. Correct order came in 4 days. I will order again. Thank you!
The plants were a decent size, were healthy, and are doing well now.
'Midnight Masquerade' Beardtongue
I am optimistic this plant will survive and do well but really it is too early to say much except the plant arrived in good condition.
So pretty! New to me! Nice dark foliage contrasting with pale pink flowers!
Plant arrived very healthy and doing well. Have made other purchases from Great Gardens and look to them for other options. Thanks!
Arrived in good condition. Planted 1 month now and appears healthy but showing no signs of new growth.
It was quite torn up during shipping and loaded with fungus gnats. The cardinal plants recovered much faster and have grown. This one is just holding on. Hopefully it will start growing soon.
Hello Jo! Thanks for taking the time to leave your feedback, we're sorry to hear that your beardtongue didn't arrive in perfect condition. If you're ever concerned about any of the plants your receive from us don't hesitate to reach out to us right away as we offer a 30 day guarantee where we're happy to replace damaged or unhealthy plants. Thanks again for your review, we appreciate it. Happy gardening!
Can this beardtongue be planted in a pot in zone 9b?
'Midnight Masquerade' Beardtongue is rated for USDA zones 3-8. It would struggle in zone 9 even if it's planted in a container that could be moved into a shadier location when it wilts from the heat. If you like beardtongue you can try planting Cha Cha™ ‘Lavender’ Beardtongue. It's rated for zone 9 and its size means it would do well in a larger container. You can find Cha Cha™ ‘Lavender’ Beardtongue here:
https://www.greatgardenplants.com/products/cha-cha%E2%84%A2-lavender-beardtongue
i have a midnight masquerade penstemon ..what is the correct procedure when the pink blossoms are done blooming...cut them off and more will grow ???? Thank you...
You can remove the spent blossoms to promote a tidier overall appearance but you may not get a second flush of flowers.
Will this grow in partial shade? In Colorado
'Midnight Masquerade' Beardtongue will grow in zones 3-8 and does best in full sun (>6 hours of sun) for best flowering and foliage color! However, it could be grown in part sun- it would just result in slower, less prolific growth in the landscape. Check our these part-sun plants: https://www.greatgardenplants.com/collections/all?pf_t_light=light%3Apart+sun
What sizes of midnight masquerade do you offer?
We offer the 'Midnight Masquerade' Beardtongue in a one quart pot! For more information on plant sizes, check out this page: https://www.greatgardenplants.com/pages/sizes
Can they be deadheaded
Yes, you will want to cut back plants almost to the ground in late winter to early spring as soon as new growth appears.