June is the month of flowers , with pet like roses , irises and peonies in efflorescence . But one of my favorite June flowers isPenstemon , sometimes refer to as beardtongue because of the blurry growths inside the flora bloom .
Penstemon is a group of plants that include more than 250 species and most of them are native to areas of North America from the southerly states up through Canada . They are considered one of the most attractive ( to humankind , at least ) of the wildflowers . Because they are comfy in northern climate , penstemon spring up very well in our northern gardens . Many are stout to USDA Zone 3 ( northern Minnesota ) and they are well-to-do to grow . you’re able to grow them easy from seed , too .
Large beardtongue ( Penstemon grandiflorus)is native to Minnesota , raise in the prairie and lakes areas from the Twin Cities all the way of life up to Grand Forks . This plant is about 3 feet tall with large pinkish purple tubular shaped salad days . Each plant will have up to 6 blooms set around the stem . It grows well in flaxen soil and full Dominicus .
Dark Towers penstemon is a popular cultivar. (Photo courtesy of Terra Nova Nursery)
More usually seen in gardens isfoxglove beardtongue ( Penstemon digitalis ) , which is native as far northward as Iowa and is constitute all over Minnesota , though it is not native here . Foxglove beardtongue typically has white-hot flush and is an adaptable plant , growing in a variety of sun situations . It is very attractive to pollinator , especially mason and bumblebees as well as hummingbird . Whenever mine are in bloom , the bumblebees are all over it , flying in and out of the tubular flowers .
Foxglove beardtongue has also been the matter of some reproduction drive . ‘Husker Red’is perhaps the most used cultivar in home garden . With its crimson stem , over-embellished toned leaves and abundant pinkish - to - snowy blossom , it ’s a contrast flora in beds and borders . Blooms can last up to three week and this plant search great planted in masses . An even more dramatic cultivar is‘Dark Towers,’which has thick maroon leaves and blooms that lean more toward reddish pink than blanched . Both cultivars grow about 3 feet tall and do n’t circulate too much .
Plant penstemon where the foliage and flowers will abide out , in the middle of the border . They look peculiarly at home with other prairie plants , such as coneflower , eatage and perennial sunflowers .
Penstemon will bloom in a variety of light, but hails from sunny prairies.
