Penstemon 'Dark Towers'PBR
beard-tongue 'Dark Towers'
A bushy, semi-evergreen perennial to about 75cm tall, with narrow, dark green leaves heavily flushed with deep red-purple . The tubular, two-tone pink flowers are produced in airy spires over a long period from early summer to late autumn
Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green Purple | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Pink | Green Purple | ||
| Autumn | Pink | Green Purple | ||
| Winter | Green Purple |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered Hardiness
H4Botanical details
- Family
- Plantaginaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Semi evergreen
- Habit
- Bushy
- Genus
Penstemon may be deciduous or evergreen perennials or subshrubs, with simple, narrow leaves and racemes or panicles of bell-shaped or funnel-shaped flowers in summer and early autumn
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. In cold areas, protect plant over winter with a dry mulch. See penstemon cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by softwood cuttings in early summer, semi-hardwood cuttings in midsummer, or by division in spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Coastal
- Cottage and informal garden
- Patio and container plants
- Flower borders and beds
- Wall side borders
- Cut flowers
Pruning
Deadhead regularly or, after flowering, shorten flowered stems by half to encourage further flowering. Cut back to just above new shoots, or lowest healthy leaves, in spring after frost has passed
Pests
May be susceptible to slugs, snails and chrysanthemum eelworms
Diseases
May be susceptible to powdery mildews
Get involved
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