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Apr 21, 2012 6:15 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Betty
MN zone 4b
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I love penstemons the ones that do well here in my northern garden are the old husker's red, dark towers and mystica. This year I found a new that has the red stems and have ordered it from Klehm's Song Sparrow it is named Pocahontas it gets 36-48 inches tall. I am excited about having a new penstemon in my garden.
If you want to be happy for a lifetime plant a garden!
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Betty MN Zone4 AHS member

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Apr 22, 2012 3:23 AM CST
Name: Carole
Clarksville, TN (Zone 6b)
Charter ATP Member Garden Sages Plant Identifier I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! I helped plan and beta test the plant database. Avid Green Pages Reviewer
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Wow, that one is a beauty. I am getting more and more into the penstemmons. I have a couple that are doing well, but this touch of purple with the red stems is very desirable, I think. My goal this year is to continue to add more purple and chartreuse/lime/citrus green (whatever you call it) plants to my gardens and yard.

Please post photos as yours grows and blooms. Thanks for sharing this. Thumbs up
I garden for the pollinators.
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Apr 22, 2012 7:11 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Betty
MN zone 4b
Frogs and Toads Birds Hummingbirder Irises Lilies Peonies
Roses Garden Ideas: Level 1 Region: United States of America Hostas Garden Art Echinacea
The only penstemons that survive in my garden are those with the touch of purple in the foilage. I have tried a couple of the more colorful blooms with green foilage, they just don't survive here. I will try to remember to take photos and post them.
If you want to be happy for a lifetime plant a garden!
Faith is the postage stamp on our prayers!
Betty MN Zone4 AHS member

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Apr 22, 2012 7:13 AM CST
Name: Carole
Clarksville, TN (Zone 6b)
Charter ATP Member Garden Sages Plant Identifier I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! I helped plan and beta test the plant database. Avid Green Pages Reviewer
I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Garden Ideas: Master Level Cat Lover Birds Region: Tennessee Echinacea
I tip my hat to you.
I garden for the pollinators.
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Apr 22, 2012 9:23 AM CST
Name: Julia
Washington State (Zone 7a)
Hydrangeas Photo Contest Winner 2018 Garden Photography Region: Pacific Northwest Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Forum moderator
Plant Database Moderator I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Dog Lover Sempervivums Container Gardener Foliage Fan
I have trouble with Penstemon too. I think in winter they like a bit of snow cover, that we mostly never get. The freezing and thawing does them in.
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Apr 22, 2012 10:12 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Betty
MN zone 4b
Frogs and Toads Birds Hummingbirder Irises Lilies Peonies
Roses Garden Ideas: Level 1 Region: United States of America Hostas Garden Art Echinacea
Not sure why the green foilage ones don't like my garden the others have been in my garden for at least a couple of years. Some winters we have consistent snow cover but not always and we do have plenty of freeze and thaw. Guess I will just be happy with the ones that do grow here, the foilage looks nice all summer with the purplish color and the blooms are nice softer colors.
If you want to be happy for a lifetime plant a garden!
Faith is the postage stamp on our prayers!
Betty MN Zone4 AHS member

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May 3, 2012 1:20 PM CST
Name: Cindi
Wichita, Kansas (Zone 7a)
Charter ATP Member Beekeeper Garden Ideas: Master Level Roses Ponds Permaculture
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On a normal winter, we have only a few days of snow cover, and constant freeze/thaw cycles. My penstemons not only thrive, but self-seed everywhere! Husker Red is 3' tall now, blooming like crazy, and it is 100 yards away from where I planted the first one 3 years ago. (Winter of 2010, temps got down to 17 below, so i know these are very hardy. We had no snow cover when we had the extreme low temps.)
I think they are crossing, too, because I have some newer shades of purple and pink that came out of the Pikes Peak purple .
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Apr 12, 2024 8:26 PM CST
Name: Linda Williams
Medina Co., TX (Zone 8a)
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Two kinds of native penstemons are blooming, so pretty!
I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority. E. B.White
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