I did some late season transplantings last year and now I'm not sure whether what I have growing in this spot is Lobelia cardinalis Queen Victoria or Penstemon Dark Towers. I seem to have lost one of them and not sure which one is emerging for me now...

I'm going to vote penstemon. Mine looks like that. Seems I remember the leaves being more pointed than these for lobelia?

Thanks, Celia! I was sort of leaning that way myself! I think it needs a little more sun, so may try moving it...

Penstemon Dark Towers leaves are at the edge of thorns, yours does not

I agree, it looks like

Penstemon don't have thorns and neither do lobelia.

That's a big help, thanks so much!

I think that the Penstemon has serrated leaves if you expand the picture.

Thank you Stefen for that tip.

The young leaves barely have any serration on mine. The older leaves do.

Catmint, do the older leaves show any?

Zencat said:The young leaves barely have any serration on mine. The older leaves do.

Catmint, do the older leaves show any?

Therefore, you must monitor the species, how to grow