Penstemon 'Stapleford Gem'

RHS Plant Profile
penstemon 'Stapleford Gem'

Save a plant

Where do you want to save Penstemon 'Stapleford Gem'?

Plants I own
Wishlist
Go to My Plants
penstemon 'Stapleford Gem' www.gardenworldimages.com

Synonyms

Penstemon × gloxinioides 'Stapleford Gem'
Penstemon 'Sour Grapes' misapplied

Award of Garden MeritPlants for pollinators
Herbaceous Perennial
Thank you - your purchase supports our charity work Buy this from RHS Plants Shop
Buy online from £8.99Buy this from Plant Nurseries
9 Suppliers

A bushy semi-evergreen perennial to 75cm in height, with ovate leaves and narrow panicles of tubular bell-shaped flowers 3.5cm in length, tube purple flushed with blue, lower lobes whitish

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

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

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or 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 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

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Coastal
  • Gravel garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • 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