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Herbaceous Perennial

Penstemon 'Melting Candy' (Ice Cream Series)
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

penstemon 'Melting Candy'

'Melting Candy' (Ice Cream Series) is a bushy, semi-evergreen perennial to 80cm tall, with slender mid-green leaves and from summer to autumn, large, bright-pink tubular flowers with a white throat

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Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metres
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
0.1–0.5 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer Pink White Green
Autumn Pink White Green
Winter Green
Position
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

West–facing or South–facing or East–facing

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness
H4
Botanical details
Family
Plantaginaceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Semi evergreen
Habit
Bushy
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

Unresolved

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, 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

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Coastal
  • Gravel garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Wall side borders
Pruning

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

Pests

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

Diseases

May be subject to a downy mildew, grey moulds, powdery mildews and a fungal leaf spot

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