Habit
Wendy McCrady https://www.inaturalist.org/people/wendybirds, Wikimedia · CC BY 4.0
Beardlip penstemon
Penstemon barbatus
Also known as: Scarlet bugler, Penstemon
Family: Plantaginaceae
60 to 90 cm tall
Sunny beds and borders, free-draining soil
Flowering: June – September
Full sun
Hardy to about -15°C (dislikes stagnant winter moisture)
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
The name Penstemon comes from the Greek "penta" (five) and "stemon" (stamen), referring to its fifth, sterile stamen, a characteristic of the genus.
🍃 Leaves
Opposite, lanceolate, greyish-green, arranged along upright stems
🌸 Flowers
Tubular, two-lipped, red to pink, gathered in long terminal spikes
🍎 Fruits
Dry capsule with many small seeds
🪵 Bark
Not applicable — herbaceous plant
🗺️ Distribution
Native to Mexico and the south-western United States
🐝 Value for pollinators
Tubular flowers attractive to bees and, in its native range, to hummingbirds
✂️ Horticultural uses
Beds and borders flowering in high summer, combined with Mediterranean perennials
🌿 Other Plantaginaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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