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Herbaceous Perennial

Penstemon confertus

yellow penstemon

A rarely offered but easy to grow compact perennial with lance-shaped green foliage and dense spikes of small, flared, tubular lemon-yellow flowers which appear from April to June. Prefers a moist area by streams, in meadows or a woodland setting, although it will perform in a drier spot in cool conditions

Other common names

yellow penstemon

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Plantaginaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Columnar upright
Genus: Penstemon may be deciduous or evergreen perennials or subshrubs, with simple, narrow leaves and racemes or panicles of bell-shaped or funnel-shaped flowers in summer and early autumn
Name status: Correct
Plant range: W Canada, USA (NW & Alaska)

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. In cold areas, protect plant overwinter with a dry winter mulch. See penstemon cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings in early summer or semi-hardwood cuttings in midsummer. Propagate by division in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Flower borders and beds
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

Deadhead after flowering to maintain vigour and prolong flowering, then cut back to 15cm in late winter or early spring

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs, snails, aphids and leaf and bud eelworms

Diseases

Generally disease-free but may be susceptible to powdery mildews and grey moulds

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