Penstemons That Thrive in the Southern Plains

Penstemonis a diverse genus of plants with over 250 species , all of which are native to North America . It is a testament to their beauty that plantsman have germinate 100 of penstemon hybrids and cultivars over the past 300 years . The Southern Plains states of Texas and Oklahoma are home to about 29 native coinage , which means we have plenty of well - adapt penstemons to prefer from ! There is a genus Penstemon for nearly every garden state of affairs , from fond tad to sun , alkaline soils to acid , caliche to loam , moist to dry out . Here are a few choice selections that thrive in different situations .

Penstemons that like it hot and dry

Rock penstemon ( Penstemon baccharifolius , Zones 8–10 ) expand in teetotal , jolting conditions , which make it an excellent add-on to a rock’n’roll garden . It ’s sincerely a beauty known for its colored greenish leaves and bright reddened blooms . Because it has a sprawl emergence habit , it looks great hang over the edge of retaining wall . It is aboriginal to the limestone bluffs of Central and West Texas .

Another genus Penstemon that does well in sunny , ironic area is hill country penstemon ( P. triflorus , Zones 8–10 ) . It is also native to the limestone territory of Central Texas but , unlike rock penstemon , will also thrive in sandy , Lucius DuBignon Clay , or loam soils . Its blooms are commonly called scarlet but often seem more like a dark pink .

Penstemons that prefer acidic soils with more moisture

Folks in areas with more acidic sandy or loamy soils that get more rainfall should try prairie penstemon ( P. cobaea , Zones 5–8 ) . This genus Penstemon is also called false foxglove because of its resemblance to the honest European foxgloves ( Digitalisspp . and cvs ) . The bloodless or pinkish flowers are great , tubular , and very showy . genus Penstemon in general are notoriously promiscuous , and prairie penstemon in particular incline to hybridize readily with hill state penstemon . If you have both species in your garden , you could have a bun in the oven to get some ( beautiful ) hybrid crosse .

Another penstemon that like soils that are more acidic and remain evenly moist is Mississippi penstemon ( P. digitalis , Zones 4–8 ) . Of all of the penstemons mentioned here , Mississippi penstemon gets the tallest , progress to height of up of 5 to 6 foundation . While it prefers sunshine or partial refinement in depleted , lactating areas , it will even stick out full spectre . It is sometimes called liquid white penstemon due to its large blank flower .

Brazos penstemon ( P. tenuis , Zones 7–10 ) give an splendid gash flower with its belittled , empurpled , bell - shape blossom . It reseed freely in garden beds with restrained moisture and even tolerates ill drained , acidic soils due to its native orbit of Gulf Coast prairies and marshes .

By contrast , nodding genus Penstemon ( P. laxiflorus , Zones 7–9 ) , needs well - drained sandlike soils and , while it is drought patient of , thrives with some extra summertime water in the garden . This genus Penstemon blossom white like the Mississippi penstemon but has a narrow , deeper , more purple - throated flower than its cousin .

If you find yourself manoeuvre down the rabbit hole of genus Penstemon , here are a yoke of imagination you may witness useful :

Karen Beaty is a horticulturalist at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin , Texas .

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