Gulf Coast Penstemon
Home
About Us
Our plant list
Available This Week
Plant Categories
NPSOT Members
Shipping, Contact
Articles by Me
Good links
Plant photos
Plant photos II
Plant Photos III
Hardiness Zones
Order Form
mostlytxnatives@yahoo.com
Penstemon tenuis
(PEN-steh-mon TEN-yoo-iss)
Gulf Coast Penstemon
Gulf Coast Penstemon, also known as Brazos Penstemon, has small, bell-shaped purple blooms on spikes, making it a swell cut flower. This Texas native, which also is native to Arkansas, Arizonia, Louisiana and Mississippi, blooms in early spring into early summer. Blooms sometimes reappear in fall. It isn't fussy about soil, but it does require a tad more water than many other plants we sell (Its native habitat is along the Gulf Coast, though ours have done fine in North Texas, and we've had one report that it's great in New Jersey.) It is evergreen except in far North Texas, though the foliage isn't anything to write home about. The plant reseeds freely, so cut off spent blooms if you don't want volunteers. The flowers are a nectar source for butterflies and hummers. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center suggests pairing Penstemon tenuis with yellow columbine, which also likes part shade and blooms about the same time. Sounds like a winner to us.
(PEN-steh-mon TEN-yoo-iss)
Gulf Coast Penstemon
Gulf Coast Penstemon, also known as Brazos Penstemon, has small, bell-shaped purple blooms on spikes, making it a swell cut flower. This Texas native, which also is native to Arkansas, Arizonia, Louisiana and Mississippi, blooms in early spring into early summer. Blooms sometimes reappear in fall. It isn't fussy about soil, but it does require a tad more water than many other plants we sell (Its native habitat is along the Gulf Coast, though ours have done fine in North Texas, and we've had one report that it's great in New Jersey.) It is evergreen except in far North Texas, though the foliage isn't anything to write home about. The plant reseeds freely, so cut off spent blooms if you don't want volunteers. The flowers are a nectar source for butterflies and hummers. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center suggests pairing Penstemon tenuis with yellow columbine, which also likes part shade and blooms about the same time. Sounds like a winner to us.
1.5'' tall x 1' wide Sun/part shade Zones 6a-10 native
See our list of available plants.
$8.50, 4.5" Perennial Pot
Photo: Charles T. Bryson, USDA
