Plants that attract pollinators: Penstemon

 

 

Penstemon, known as beard-tongues are native North American wildflowers available in a good variety of pastel reds, pinks, and blues and white. Penstemon does best planted in a spot where they will get full sun.

 

They like well drained soils, so be sure to add a bag of Earth Essential’s Sheep, Peat and Compost to your soil as you’re planting. Once established, penstemon are very hardy plants, requiring little water and fertilizer. You can cut back the plants by about 1/3^rd after they’re through blooming. Hummingbirds are attracted to the red and pink varieties. Bees seem to prefer the whites, blues and purples. As for the Penstemon‘s common name, beardtongue refers to the flowers open mouth shape and fuzzy tongue. Here are some of our favorite penstemon.

 

'Carolyn’s Hope Pink'

'Dark Towers'

'Lavender Riding Hood'

'Marble Riding Hood'

'Pike’s Peak Purple'

 

'Rondo'

'Rubycunda'