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Hardiness: USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 °C (-30 °F) USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 °C (-25 °F) USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F) USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F) USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F) USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F) USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F) USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F) USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F) USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F) USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F) USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
Other details: This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds Flowers are fragrant Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping
Soil pH requirements: 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline) 7.9 to 8.5 (alkaline)
Patent Information: Non-patented
Propagation Methods: From herbaceous stem cuttings From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall From seed; winter sow in vented containers, coldframe or unheated greenhouse From seed; stratify if sowing indoors
Seed Collecting: Allow pods to dry on plant; break open to collect seeds
On Dec 24, 2009, CSchnack from Scottsdale, AZ wrote:
We grew Palmer's Penstemon in the 90s at a house we no longer live at. The first year it got to the size claimed by most nurseries, etc, but the 2nd year it far exceeded that. The flower stalks were touching the edge of the roof, which was about 8 feet tall, even with the arching stalks. The leaves grew to a pretty, silvery arching clump that was about 2 ft high and wide or maybe more. I've seen one specialty catalog nursery that says they will get to 6 ft. I have no idea what was so special about that site that the plant thrived so well. It was just the native unimproved clay and it was on a south facing wall so it got scorching heat in summer. Maybe that is what they like. We got it at the same time as some red flowered smaller penstemons that also did really well, also with no particular pampering.
On Sep 29, 2009, weedsfree from Magna, UT (Zone 7a) wrote:
Has a wonderful fragrance of grape juice. Mine got around 3-4 feet tall this year, and it was my first time growing it. The branches of mine did droop a bit, so next year I will need to support them. The seed pods take a while to ripen. Just a neat plant. Now that I know what it is that I was growing, I think it is even neater.
Have two 2-year old plants. First blooms on May 16th. My plants are under 2 feet tall including the bloomstalk. I hope they grow to the stated 4-6 feet because they were purchased with the idea of being tall. The flowers are sweetly scented - I just wish I didn't have to stoop to get a sniff. :-)
The plants stayed green over the winter.
6 vendors have this plant for sale.
