Penstemon heterophyllus 'Heavenly Blue'

RHS Plant Profile
penstemon 'Heavenly Blue'

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Synonyms

Penstemon 'Heavenly Blue'

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Herbaceous Perennial
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a spreading, woody-based, semi-evergreen perennial to 50cm tall, with narrow, dull, bluish-green leaves. The pinkish-blue flowers, tubular with an open, lobed mouth are about 3cm long and produced in long spikes in summer and autumn

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H4

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Plantaginaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
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 moderately fertile, sharply-drained soil in full sun in a sheltered situation. May need a dry winter mulch in frost prone areas. Will tolerate some shade, but flowers less well. See penstemon cultivation

Propagation

Divide in spring, or take softwood cuttings in early summer or semi-ripe cuttings in midsummer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Coastal
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Rock garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Cut flowers
  • Wall side borders
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Deadhead regularly, or after flowering shorten flowered stems by half, to encourage further flowering. Cut back to about 15cm in spring, after frost as passed, to maintain a compact shape

Pests

Maybe susceptible to slugs, snails, aphids and leaf and bud eelworm

Diseases

May be susceptible to grey moulds, powdery mildews and fungal leaf spot