Penstemon barbatus
Beardlip penstemon
Common names: Scarlet bugler, Golden-beard penstemon
At a glance
- Light
- Full sun
- Pot size
- from 10 l
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- Flowering
- Jun–Sep
- Hardiness
- Hardy
Photo: Bettina Arrigoni · CC BY 2.0 · Source
Description
The beardlip penstemon (Penstemon barbatus) produces upright flower spikes from early summer to early autumn, usually in red or pink hues, on slender stems above a rosette of narrow leaves. Bees and bumblebees are attracted to the tubular flowers, making the plant well suited for a pollinator garden or a sunny perennial border. It originates from the mountainous regions of Mexico and the southern United States and brings with it a preference for poor, well‑drained soils. In heavy, clayey soils it struggles, but it tolerates drought and full sun very well. Cultivars such as ‘Rondo’ or ‘Schooley’s Yellow’ add additional color variations to the garden.
Care instructions
Plant in full sun on a well‑drained, somewhat poor soil; improve heavy, wet soils with sand or fine gravel beforehand. Water only during prolonged dry periods and avoid waterlogging, especially in winter, as this stresses the plant more than cold. Regularly remove spent flower spikes to encourage a second, weaker late‑summer flush. Leave the foliage in place in autumn for natural winter protection, and cut back to ground level only in early spring, around the end of March (week 13). In mild climates the plant is winter hardy; in harsher regions a loose straw mulch over the base helps protect it.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
FloweringJun–Sep
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, lean, sandy, dry
The scarlet bugler likes it lean and well-drained and will hardly forgive waterlogged soils. A lean to moderately nutrient-rich, sandy-gravelly substrate comes closest to its home in the dry regions of North America. Loosen heavy, loamy soils with sand or fine grit before you plant. A sunny spot with good drainage matters more than rich soil.
Feeding
Light feeder
As an undemanding wild perennial, the scarlet bugler needs no regular feeding. A thin helping of compost in spring is perfectly enough to see it through the season. Too many nutrients make it soft and prone to rot, so it is better to stay sparing.
Overwintering
The scarlet bugler is quite hardy and survives even severe frosts, but it reacts sensitively to cold and wet. What counts above all for it is a dry position in winter, because waterlogging harms it more than low temperatures. In heavy soils, a loose mulch layer of brushwood or leaves helps, keeping excess water away without letting the roots rot.
Propagation
Methods
- From seed
- Cuttings
- Division
The easiest way to raise the scarlet bugler from seed is on the windowsill from February to April; it is a light germinator and needs no covering of soil. Cuttings from non-flowering shoots work from June to August and root in sandy substrate within a few weeks. Older, bushy clumps can be divided in spring, which keeps the plant young and free-flowering at the same time.
For your garden
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