Penstemon 'Countess of Dalkeith'
penstemon 'Countess of Dalkeith'
'Countess of Dalkeith' is an upright perennial to 60cm tall, with narrow leaves and bell-shaped reddish-purple flowers with a conspicuous white throat
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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 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Summer | Purple White | Green | ||
Autumn | Purple White | Green | ||
Winter | Green |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or East–facing or West–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
Propagation
Propagate by softwood cuttings in early summer or semi-hardwood cuttings in midsummer. Propagate by division in spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Coastal
- Cottage and informal garden
- Flower borders and beds
- Wall side borders
Pruning
Deadhead after flowering to maintain vigour. Then cut back to base in early spring
Pests
May be susceptible to slugs, snails, glasshouse red spider mite, and leaf and bud eelworms
Diseases
Generally disease-free
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