Penstemon 'Flame'

RHS Plant Profile

penstemon 'Flame'

RHS

Herbaceous Perennial

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An upright, semi-evergreen perennial to around 75cm with narrow, mid-green leaves and red, bell-shaped flowers with white throat markings in summer and autumn

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: West–facing or East–facing or South–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 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
Wildlife gardens
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds
Wall side borders

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