Penstemon barbatus Seeds | Firecracker Penstemon
LATIN NAME: Penstemon barbatus
COMMON NAME: Firecracker Penstemon
Plant Profile
Known to gardeners as Firecracker Penstemon, Penstemon barbatus is an evergreen perennial in the plantain family, native to western united states, particularly thriving in desert and woodland areas of california and the rocky mountains. Firecracker penstemon throws its red trumpets at sun from midsummer on. Plant is a fine, generous presence of hot, sunny border, flowering freely through warm months. It is a plant of open, sunny, very well-drained ground. Gardeners value it precisely for this blend of qualities.
Science & Biotechnology
Within the plantain family, Penstemon barbatus is of continuing interest to researchers working on plant diversity, seed biology and the selection of improved garden forms. Firecracker penstemon is a bright, upright subject of plant science, studied for tall spikes of bright-red, tubular flowers and way plant flowers so freely. Centuries of cultivation have left a detailed record of how it grows and behaves.
Uses & Benefits
Firecracker Penstemon works well in borders, containers and dedicated beds. Firecracker penstemon is a bright, upright plant of sunny border. Plant keeps its upright form through heat with very little water. A plant that has settled in will get along with only routine care.
Penstemons are hummingbird pollinator royalty of the American West, grown for their tubular summer spires.
Growing from Seed
Sow fresh seed of Firecracker Penstemon under ordinary good conditions. Surface-sow onto a light, well-drained compost, dust over a thin covering, and keep evenly moist and sunny until the seedlings show. When the young plants are big enough to handle, space them into pots or a nursery row and let them size up before their final move.
Our Take
As an evergreen perennial, it settles into a routine quickly once established. Within its genus it stands out for garden reliability. After establishment, care settles into an easy routine.
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