Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants
Herbaceous Perennial

Penstemon 'George Home'
  • RHS AGM
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

penstemon 'George Home'

A clump-forming perennial to 70cm tall, with narrow, dark green foliage and tubular bright red flowers 2.5cm long, the throat and mouth white, opening in late summer and autumn

Synonyms
Penstemon 'Lord Home'

Join the RHS

Become an RHS Member today and save 25% on your first year

Join now
Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metres
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
0.1–0.5 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer Red White Green
Autumn Red White Green
Winter Green
Position
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

South–facing or East–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness
H3
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 fertile, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. In cold areas, protect plant overwinter with a dry winter mulch. See penstemon cultivation for further advice

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
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Patio and container plants
  • Wall side borders
  • Flower borders and beds
Pruning

Deadhead after flowering to maintain vigour, then cut back to base in winter

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs, snails and chrysanthemum eelworms

Diseases

May be subject to a downy mildew

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.