06/07/2026
⭐️Plant Spotlight: Penstemon!
Penstemon is a great perennial for sunny areas. We like it planted in masses for the best impact.
The variety shown in this bed at our shop is called Dakota Burgundy. We used to carry it in our nursery, but changed to a newer variety over the last couple years called Midnight Masquerade. Midnight Masquerade is slightly shorter and has lavender-pink blooms which we prefer to Dakota Burgundy's pinkish-white flowers.
Both variatieties have dark burgundy foliage and are semi-evergreen, so the foliage may retain some color in winter. Once the flowers finish blooming, they can be cut back, or the flower stalks may be left up to provide an vertical accent in the landscape. When left up, they will develop seed clusters which may reseed nearby, although not in an invasive type of way. They will not rebloom.
Penstemon is a reliable and hardy perennial and one of our top picks for hot and sunny spots in the landscape!