Extracts from the roots were applied to gunshot and arrow wounds, inserted into the tooth cavity for pain, and taken directly for consumption and whooping cough.
I bought one of these about 3 years ago. It was planted in a pot along with other blooming plants. Everything died in the winter (zone 6b) except the penstamon. It now fills that pot, and blooms yearly. I'll be dividing it next spring, and planting in my landscaping. It's also full of seed, which I'm about to harvest. I wasn't sure how successful I'd be, but your video shows me it can be done. Thank you.
Happy Update May 2023 those that were winter sown came up kind of late but are growing steadily. I just separated them and up potted, probably will plant in the ground next spring. Because Voles! UPDATE sadly none made it, so I just winter sowed seed for this and foxglove penstemon last week. I also have flourishing Husker Red so I will move some of that around, since it has self seeded everywhere in the micro meadow. Thank you for all your work, it is a valuable resource for native plants that I keep coming back to. What other Penstemon varieties do you grow?
I've got Penstemon pallida, and another one, 'grey tongue' I believe, but it is very similar to foxglove penstemon. The Pale Penstemon (P. pallida) is very small (12" or less) but quite nice.
I grew Penstemon strictus, rocky mountain blue from seed this year. Winter sowing method. The seedlings looks great, about ready to transplant into the garden. Debating if I want to pot them up first or not.
@Kyaide in my experience it depends how much deer and rabbits you have. They tend to leave mature growth alone, but young growth is always a risk in my experience
Thank you so much Joe for another interesting and informative video , I just collected some seeds from my plant I'm going to winter sow thank you Bernie
Thank you for sharing - I've got about 5 different species of Penstemon growing now. I've been able to divide most of them. Haven't directly tried cuttings though.
Hi Joe Great video. I received four potted penstemons in pots and I put them in bigger planters earlier and they were beautiful blooms on them. I am thinking if I want them to spread I should put them in the ground. Would it be alright to go ahead and put the into the ground now?
Hi Clarise - Yes, just take care to not disturb the roots and keep them in contact with the soil as much as possible. You will need to keep an eye on them as well as keep them well watered. Another good trick to help reduce transplant shock is to place a lawn chair over them to shade them for a couple days.
On this and many other of the plants you profile on your channel, you mention cold stratification in the fridge as an option for summer sowing. What has held me back from doing that is uncertainty on how late in the summer (or even fall) I can do that. My concern is that if they get started too late in the season, they won't be big enough to survive the first deep freeze. Is this a valid concern and if so, do you have any rules of thumb on it?
Hi - plants can often survive winter even if they are fairly tiny, but they must have time for their roots to develop and attach. I've used the fridge to cold-stratify seeds up until mid-June (if I remember correctly), and it has been fine. The problems you will encounter are that it is difficult to keep seedlings alive in very hot temperatures, and they often don't grow as quickly then either. You can mitigate this by keeping them on the East side of a structure to allow sun from dawn until lunchtime, and that way they are less likely to dry out. This also helps when sowing, as some seeds need to be surface sown (like Penstemons), and it is difficult to keep the seeds from drying out in the heat of summer. In my gardening, I rarely cold stratify in the fridge. I only did so one one species this year, and that is because I needed a few more than I had already growing. But what I would strongly recommend, and I mean really really strongly - is to winter sow your seeds. I Winter sowed probably 50+ species last year, and just about everything came up in March-May. When they germinate that early, they grow fast. You can get a decent sized plant that you can transplant in late Spring, and have a strong plant ready to bloom in their second year. This is my video on Winter Sowing. And it really works. ruclips.net/video/SKXY6dl-5Tk/видео.html
@@growitbuildit thank you so much for the exhaustive response. It's all such good information. I already have done winter sowing, and your tutorial introduced me to it! Do you have any thoughts on soil blocking to winter sow under humidity domes? I know your recommendation is probably just to broadcast in a single tray of soil and then divide, but I am wondering if you have tried what I am describing.
I actually just inherited a soil blocker but haven't used it yet. I don't see why it wouldn't work, just use the tray method with holes poked in the dome. The only potential problem I can think of is that you will be forced to water from the bottom with soil blocking.
Hey Joe - thank goodness you are here. Just received 3 small pots of this plant from a company, box was crushed, 3 empty small pots, box was full of dirt, leaves and 3 small root clumps with leaf stems attached - total mess. I potted up the root clumps, watered them and set in the shade in zone 6 CT - think they will make it? Also do you think they would cross with other penstemon varieties?
Hi Tracy - they are really tough plants if they have good root stock. You did everything correct - potting up, water and get them in the shade. Time will tell, but I wouldn't have done anything different.
UPDATE sadly none made it, so I just winter sowed seed for this and foxglove penstemon last week. I also have flourishing Husker Red so I will move some of that around, since it has self seeded everywhere in the micro meadow. Thank you for all your work, it is a valuable resource for native plants that I keep coming back to. What other Penstemon varieties do you grow?
I have seen it growing in partial shade before, but haven't my self. The overall plant was smaller and less showy, which is what typically happens with other species - when you reduce sun, you reduce size and number of blooms.
Can new growth be pruned in early spring to reduce height but still bloom? This penstemon is relatively short, but still flops over in my garden, despite being in full sun.
Hi Bethany, I have read about people doing the Chelsea Chop to Penstemon species, so you should be able to do it. (I've never done so). Also, there is a smaller Penstemon out there, Pale Penstemon, which is about 8-12 inches tall. I've got around 10 plants and quite like them. growitbuildit.com/pale-penstemon-pallidus/
Brian here in Zone 6, I have a question. What natives could I plant to have color from April-October ? Any recommendations on 2-3 plants per month? Thanks, and my wife Lori and I just found this channel and love it.
Hi Brian - sure. Note that all of these change a bit every season. An earlier Spring means it all starts sooner, and vice versa for a later Spring. I live on the border of zone 6/7. I should add that my website has way more plant profiles than I have videos, and they contain heavily detailed info too. There are too many plant's I've grown to list, but these are some relatively easy ones that do great. Make sure you get a couple Coreopsis species, as they don't live long - but bloom a really long time (and self seed, which is necessary to keep them around). I would start with Virginia Bluebells and Wild Violets. Followed by Columbine and Golden Alexander. Next would be Penstemons (Hairy Beardtongue and Pale Beardtongue are first), then Foxglove Beardtongue. There are many Penstemons that bloom over time. This should cover April - May. That should get you safely to June. Monarda didyma and then Lanceleaf Coreopsis should begin and cover most of June (along with some Foxglove Beardtongue). At the end of June you should start to get Rudbeckia hirta and Heliopsis helianthoides (False Sunflower). Butterfly Weed will also begin in June, taking you into July (along with many other species) June is usually when Liatris spicata starts. Other species of Liatris bloom later (Prairie, followed by Meadow, followed by Dotted, and finally Liatris aspera in late August). In July, you should be entering non-stop peak blooming. Blanket Flower, Butterfly Weed, Echinacea species (Palida in June, followed by Angustifolia and Tenneessis_, and finally E. purpurea in July. Monarda fistulosa in July-Aug. Some perennial sunflowers will begin blooming too (H. grosserratus). Mountain Mints all seem to take off in July going into August (I have four species, soon to be five). Coreopsis grandiflora starts in July and goes until October too. August - Echinacea purpurea and False Sunflower are still going strong. Mountain Mints are going strong. New bloomers in August could be Rudbeckia fulgida, Rudbeckia subtemosa (taller, can flop), and Rudbeckia triloba (only plant in wild areas). Monarda punctata should begin in August, and go through Sept. Sneezeweed should also begin, as well as Helianthus giganteus and Helianthus annus. Goldenrods begin in August too, although you need to be careful which types you plant. But Asters will also begin taking off. It starts with Smooth Blue, followed by New England (there are many, many asters). Short's Aster and Heart-leaved Aster begin in August and go into Sept. In September, New England should run it's course, finishing by October. But Aromatic Aster will begin in late Sept or early Oct, and last for another Month. In September Helianthus maximiliani will begin and last a month (really pretty, but spreads).
@@growitbuilditThis was a very wonderfully detailed answer! I am new to getting the natives here in Texas. I have been accumulating many of what you listed! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Boy - it is really tough to tell the difference on seedlings as it is just basal leaves flat on the ground. I would suggest getting PictureThis app and trying it. I recently tested a bunch of apps, and Picture This was the best, and really good at differentiating seedlings.
I just picked one of these up; I'm thinking of putting it in a dry area with full sun (I can still water supplementally) and pretty good soil. Do you know if it is salt tolerant?
This plant should do just fine in full sun and somewhat dry area. I have 4 on a large mound (not in video) that is beat by the sun from dawn to dusk. They do just fine there, so it can be considered dry. I actually don't 'truly' know if it is salt tolerant. But - I can tell you this - I saw a really large 'wild' population about two weeks ago in a roadside ditch. I don't know how much salt that road sees, but they were on a hillside just about tire height. I would think they would see plenty of salt, as it bordered a popular state park. So, if it were me, I wouldn't worry about salt. I transplanted/moved about 5 plants that were near bloom time (including the one in the video). At least 4/5 bloomed, and are surviving without extra attention. So, in my opinion this is a really tough plant. My thick stand of them looked awesome this year. A large, but short (not tall) 'super bloom'.
@@growitbuildit Hi Joe I really appreciate all your knowledge and great information! I Winter Sowed the seeds with great success, the plants are doing well although they are still tiny. I can't wait until they begin to mature and bloom❤️🌿🐝 Thank you so much
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
Extracts from the roots were applied to gunshot and arrow wounds, inserted into the tooth cavity for pain, and taken directly for consumption and whooping cough.
I bought one of these about 3 years ago. It was planted in a pot along with other blooming plants. Everything died in the winter (zone 6b) except the penstamon. It now fills that pot, and blooms yearly. I'll be dividing it next spring, and planting in my landscaping. It's also full of seed, which I'm about to harvest. I wasn't sure how successful I'd be, but your video shows me it can be done. Thank you.
You are very welcome Jodi - good luck propagating it this Spring!
Inspired a grew a batch from seed ...I have just potted a hundred and fifty plants !
Wow! Nice work Luke!
Super useful video -- just got some of these but knew little about them. Thanks!
Thank you! You will love them. I just got my first bloom today on my penstemon.
You have so many cool flowers! Thanks for making these videos and sharing your knowledge!
You are welcome! Thank you for the kind words. There is plenty more to come. It just takes a long time to make one of these videos!
Happy Update May 2023 those that were winter sown came up kind of late but are growing steadily. I just separated them and up potted, probably will plant in the ground next spring. Because Voles!
UPDATE sadly none made it, so I just winter sowed seed for this and foxglove penstemon last week. I also have flourishing Husker Red so I will move some of that around, since it has self seeded everywhere in the micro meadow. Thank you for all your work, it is a valuable resource for native plants that I keep coming back to. What other Penstemon varieties do you grow?
I've got Penstemon pallida, and another one, 'grey tongue' I believe, but it is very similar to foxglove penstemon. The Pale Penstemon (P. pallida) is very small (12" or less) but quite nice.
I grew Penstemon strictus, rocky mountain blue from seed this year. Winter sowing method. The seedlings looks great, about ready to transplant into the garden. Debating if I want to pot them up first or not.
@Kyaide in my experience it depends how much deer and rabbits you have. They tend to leave mature growth alone, but young growth is always a risk in my experience
We grow it in plugs at Country Road Greenhouses in Rochelle, IL! :)
They are great flowers. Really nice variety for a manicured landscape or wild area.
Thank you so much Joe for another interesting and informative video , I just collected some seeds from my plant I'm going to winter sow thank you Bernie
Excellent - best of luck Bernie. I love the Penstemon genus.
Gorgeous little plant. Can't wait to try growing
They are really nice. Really fun in a mass planting.
I've got some dark leaved varieties I really like. They propagate from cuttings undrer mist.
Thank you for sharing - I've got about 5 different species of Penstemon growing now. I've been able to divide most of them. Haven't directly tried cuttings though.
Hi Joe
Great video. I received four potted penstemons in pots and I put them in bigger planters earlier and they were beautiful blooms on them. I am thinking if I want them to spread I should put them in the ground. Would it be alright to go ahead and put the into the ground now?
Hi Clarise - Yes, just take care to not disturb the roots and keep them in contact with the soil as much as possible. You will need to keep an eye on them as well as keep them well watered. Another good trick to help reduce transplant shock is to place a lawn chair over them to shade them for a couple days.
Prairie Moon Nursery and Prairie Nursery - both online - have these delightful plants.
Prairie Moon has a great selection in general. And some hard to find species.
My bearded tongues are in planters. Can I move them into the ground now! They have stopped blooming now.
Great video. Thank you
Thank you Kay! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
On this and many other of the plants you profile on your channel, you mention cold stratification in the fridge as an option for summer sowing. What has held me back from doing that is uncertainty on how late in the summer (or even fall) I can do that. My concern is that if they get started too late in the season, they won't be big enough to survive the first deep freeze. Is this a valid concern and if so, do you have any rules of thumb on it?
Hi - plants can often survive winter even if they are fairly tiny, but they must have time for their roots to develop and attach. I've used the fridge to cold-stratify seeds up until mid-June (if I remember correctly), and it has been fine. The problems you will encounter are that it is difficult to keep seedlings alive in very hot temperatures, and they often don't grow as quickly then either.
You can mitigate this by keeping them on the East side of a structure to allow sun from dawn until lunchtime, and that way they are less likely to dry out. This also helps when sowing, as some seeds need to be surface sown (like Penstemons), and it is difficult to keep the seeds from drying out in the heat of summer.
In my gardening, I rarely cold stratify in the fridge. I only did so one one species this year, and that is because I needed a few more than I had already growing.
But what I would strongly recommend, and I mean really really strongly - is to winter sow your seeds. I Winter sowed probably 50+ species last year, and just about everything came up in March-May. When they germinate that early, they grow fast. You can get a decent sized plant that you can transplant in late Spring, and have a strong plant ready to bloom in their second year.
This is my video on Winter Sowing. And it really works. ruclips.net/video/SKXY6dl-5Tk/видео.html
@@growitbuildit thank you so much for the exhaustive response. It's all such good information. I already have done winter sowing, and your tutorial introduced me to it! Do you have any thoughts on soil blocking to winter sow under humidity domes? I know your recommendation is probably just to broadcast in a single tray of soil and then divide, but I am wondering if you have tried what I am describing.
I actually just inherited a soil blocker but haven't used it yet. I don't see why it wouldn't work, just use the tray method with holes poked in the dome. The only potential problem I can think of is that you will be forced to water from the bottom with soil blocking.
Starting around 4:30 this started feeling like a Red Green segment. 😁
Lol
Hey Joe - thank goodness you are here. Just received 3 small pots of this plant from a company, box was crushed, 3 empty small pots, box was full of dirt, leaves and 3 small root clumps with leaf stems attached - total mess. I potted up the root clumps, watered them and set in the shade in zone 6 CT - think they will make it? Also do you think they would cross with other penstemon varieties?
Hi Tracy - they are really tough plants if they have good root stock. You did everything correct - potting up, water and get them in the shade. Time will tell, but I wouldn't have done anything different.
@@growitbuildit Thank you!
UPDATE sadly none made it, so I just winter sowed seed for this and foxglove penstemon last week. I also have flourishing Husker Red so I will move some of that around, since it has self seeded everywhere in the micro meadow. Thank you for all your work, it is a valuable resource for native plants that I keep coming back to. What other Penstemon varieties do you grow?
I have read it can grow in the shade. Do you have any experience with that? If so, how well has it bloomed in the shade? Thx!
I have seen it growing in partial shade before, but haven't my self. The overall plant was smaller and less showy, which is what typically happens with other species - when you reduce sun, you reduce size and number of blooms.
Can new growth be pruned in early spring to reduce height but still bloom? This penstemon is relatively short, but still flops over in my garden, despite being in full sun.
(In zone 7)
Hi Bethany, I have read about people doing the Chelsea Chop to Penstemon species, so you should be able to do it. (I've never done so). Also, there is a smaller Penstemon out there, Pale Penstemon, which is about 8-12 inches tall. I've got around 10 plants and quite like them. growitbuildit.com/pale-penstemon-pallidus/
Lovely flower
They are wonderful
Brian here in Zone 6, I have a question. What natives could I plant to have color from April-October ?
Any recommendations on 2-3 plants per month? Thanks, and my wife Lori and I just found this channel and love it.
Hi Brian - sure. Note that all of these change a bit every season. An earlier Spring means it all starts sooner, and vice versa for a later Spring. I live on the border of zone 6/7. I should add that my website has way more plant profiles than I have videos, and they contain heavily detailed info too. There are too many plant's I've grown to list, but these are some relatively easy ones that do great. Make sure you get a couple Coreopsis species, as they don't live long - but bloom a really long time (and self seed, which is necessary to keep them around).
I would start with Virginia Bluebells and Wild Violets. Followed by Columbine and Golden Alexander. Next would be Penstemons (Hairy Beardtongue and Pale Beardtongue are first), then Foxglove Beardtongue. There are many Penstemons that bloom over time. This should cover April - May.
That should get you safely to June. Monarda didyma and then Lanceleaf Coreopsis should begin and cover most of June (along with some Foxglove Beardtongue). At the end of June you should start to get Rudbeckia hirta and Heliopsis helianthoides (False Sunflower). Butterfly Weed will also begin in June, taking you into July (along with many other species)
June is usually when Liatris spicata starts. Other species of Liatris bloom later (Prairie, followed by Meadow, followed by Dotted, and finally Liatris aspera in late August).
In July, you should be entering non-stop peak blooming. Blanket Flower, Butterfly Weed, Echinacea species (Palida in June, followed by Angustifolia and Tenneessis_, and finally E. purpurea in July. Monarda fistulosa in July-Aug. Some perennial sunflowers will begin blooming too (H. grosserratus). Mountain Mints all seem to take off in July going into August (I have four species, soon to be five). Coreopsis grandiflora starts in July and goes until October too.
August - Echinacea purpurea and False Sunflower are still going strong. Mountain Mints are going strong. New bloomers in August could be Rudbeckia fulgida, Rudbeckia subtemosa (taller, can flop), and Rudbeckia triloba (only plant in wild areas). Monarda punctata should begin in August, and go through Sept. Sneezeweed should also begin, as well as Helianthus giganteus and Helianthus annus.
Goldenrods begin in August too, although you need to be careful which types you plant. But Asters will also begin taking off. It starts with Smooth Blue, followed by New England (there are many, many asters). Short's Aster and Heart-leaved Aster begin in August and go into Sept.
In September, New England should run it's course, finishing by October. But Aromatic Aster will begin in late Sept or early Oct, and last for another Month. In September Helianthus maximiliani will begin and last a month (really pretty, but spreads).
@@growitbuilditThis was a very wonderfully detailed answer! I am new to getting the natives here in Texas. I have been accumulating many of what you listed! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
I forgot to label my hairy vs foxglove beardtongue seedlings and now I can’t tell them apart! Any tips?
Boy - it is really tough to tell the difference on seedlings as it is just basal leaves flat on the ground. I would suggest getting PictureThis app and trying it. I recently tested a bunch of apps, and Picture This was the best, and really good at differentiating seedlings.
I just picked one of these up; I'm thinking of putting it in a dry area with full sun (I can still water supplementally) and pretty good soil. Do you know if it is salt tolerant?
This plant should do just fine in full sun and somewhat dry area. I have 4 on a large mound (not in video) that is beat by the sun from dawn to dusk. They do just fine there, so it can be considered dry.
I actually don't 'truly' know if it is salt tolerant. But - I can tell you this - I saw a really large 'wild' population about two weeks ago in a roadside ditch. I don't know how much salt that road sees, but they were on a hillside just about tire height. I would think they would see plenty of salt, as it bordered a popular state park. So, if it were me, I wouldn't worry about salt.
I transplanted/moved about 5 plants that were near bloom time (including the one in the video). At least 4/5 bloomed, and are surviving without extra attention. So, in my opinion this is a really tough plant. My thick stand of them looked awesome this year. A large, but short (not tall) 'super bloom'.
Is there a Penstemon that has leaves that resemble primulas?
There are a ton of different Penstemons - far more than I am familiar with. I'm afraid I don't know of any with those style of leaves.
Will they bloom the first year?
Hi Bob - I've not gotten one to bloom the first year. But, I generally plant them out in Fall, and they bloom the following Spring.
Do you mulch your beds?
Sometimes, I generally leave a gap around the stalk of most plants though. The front of our house has mulched beds. The back....not so much.
Do you deadhead as the flowers die?
Hi Darlene - I do not. I just let the seed heads form. I've not tried to deadhead any penstemon.
Hi there great video has lots of good info,where can I find the seeds from this variety??
Hi Ana - I may have some. Send me an email at growit.buildit@gmail.com.
@@growitbuildit
Hi Joe I really appreciate all your knowledge and great information!
I Winter Sowed the seeds with great success, the plants are doing well although they are still tiny. I can't wait until they begin to mature and bloom❤️🌿🐝
Thank you so much
Hummingbird moths like this one
Yes they do - I'm up to 5-6 species of Penstemon in my yard now.
can i just sprinkle seeds?
Hi Anubhav - you can do that exactly. Anytime from Autumn to early Spring should work. If the soil is disturbed, the germination rate should go up.
@@growitbuildit what about mulch and leaves left over from fall? would i rake them away, and if so, can i place them back after throwing seeds?
Mulch is fine, but leaves should be shredded. These seeds need light to germinate.
Is this plant safe to be around dogs?
It isn't on the ASPCA list. And most rabbits and deer leave it alone, as it tastes bitter and is mildly toxic from what I can see.
Will they bloom the first year?
Hi GIna - In my experience it has not. But if you get it started early enough it may be possible