Cha Cha™ 'Purple' Beardtongue (Penstemon)
Perennial
- Bright purple flowers attract pollinators!
- Drought tolerant, deer resistant, and easy to grow.
- Native to North America.
- Zone 6-9, sun, 25" tall and 20" wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Beardtongue is a native perennial that has gained popularity among gardeners for its ability to attract pollinators. Try planting it in wildlife, pollinator, or cut flower gardens for a charming flare. With tall spikes of flowers and upright habit, it's easy to layer with other shrubs and perennials to create a dynamic garden bed. We think it's best suited alongside coneflowers, false indigo, spike speedwell, or weigela.
Details
Common name: Beardtongue
Zone: 6-9
Sun exposure: Sun (> 6 hours sun)
Height x width: 20-25" X 20"
Flower color: Purple
Foliage color: Green
Season of Interest: Summer
Bloom time: Summer - fall
Features: Rabbit & deer resistant, space savers, native, heat tolerant, drought tolerant
Uses: Naturalizing, cottage garden, specimen, pollinator garden, foundation planting, massing, wildlife gardens, cut flower, native plant gardens
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: 20”
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.
