What a great plant selection for our Rocky Mountain gardens. I don’t think I’ve met a penstemon that I don’t like. However, I have to admit that I have my favorites.
Husker Red Penstemon (P. digitalis ‘Husker Red’) provides an upright, vertical accent in the garden with distinctive burgundy foliage that provides a dark contrast in a mixed border in our bright, crystal-clear light.
Another favorite is the pine-leaf Penstemon (P. pinifolius), in both red and yellow. It’s best suited to the front of a border.
Penstemon, with their tubular flowers, attract pollinators. The red and yellow varieties are most attractive to hummingbirds, while the blue, purple and pink varieties are attractive to bees, and other insects. Planting in drifts, or grouping like varieties provides ample feeding opportunities for the pollinators.
