Pineleaf penstemon

Pineleaf penstemon: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low, dense subshrub 20–30 cm high and about 40 cm wide, with a woody base.

Foliage

Needle-like, 1–3 cm long, bright to dark green, in tufts along the stems; evergreen.

Flower

Narrow tubular flowers of 2.5–3 cm in loose spikes at the stem tips, from June to August.

Colour

Fiery red to orange-red; yellow cultivars also exist.

Roots

Fine and fibrous: it needs free-draining, lean soil.

Flowering: June–August · Plants: April–May · Pruning: April and August

Why grow it?

• Fine, evergreen needle-like foliage that stays attractive all year, even in winter.
• Flowers from June to August with bright orange-red tubular blooms in full sun.
• Bees and bumblebees visit the flowers.
• Drought-tolerant: excellent for a gravel garden, rock garden or sunny wall.
• Stays small and tidy: suits small gardens, containers and front gardens.

Pineleaf penstemon: where does it grow best?

• Full sun: the more sun, the richer the flowering.
• Very free-draining, poor sandy or loamy soil, acid to chalky. Heavy clay is unsuitable.
• Fairly dry: it tolerates drought very well but not wet feet.
• Allow 30–40 cm between plants. A raised bed or rock garden is ideal.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry

Size

0.3 m tall, 0.4 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -20 °C)

Goes well with

• Stonecrop: Low, fleshy plants in the same dry, sunny soil.
• Thyme: A fragrant ground cover that tolerates the same lean soil.
• Blue fescue: Blue-grey tufts that stand out nicely against the orange-red flowers.
• Houseleek: Rosettes in the same sunny, lean spot, ideal in a rock garden.

Pineleaf penstemon: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May.

1. Plant in April–May, when the worst of the frost is over and the soil is warming up.
2. Mix the soil with a third fine grit or coarse sand; for heavy soil, make a raised planting bed.
3. Plant at the same depth as in the pot, preferably slightly raised so water runs away.
4. Keep 30–40 cm between plants and firm the soil.
5. Water in once generously after planting, then only during long dry spells.
6. Spread a layer of gravel around the plant instead of organic mulch, which holds moisture.

Care

Water

Rarely once established. It tolerates drought better than wet soil.

Feeding

Hardly needed. Rich soil gives lots of leaves and few flowers.

Mulching

Use gravel or grit, not compost or bark: they keep the base damp.

Deadheading

Cut off faded spikes after flowering to keep the plant tidy.

Support

Not needed; it stays low and compact.

Pots

Does well in a pot with plenty of sand and grit in the compost; provide drainage holes.

Tip: Give it gravel rather than compost: this subshrub wants poor, dry soil without wet feet. Plant it slightly raised in a rock garden or on a small mound.

Pineleaf penstemon: when to prune it?

Pruning months: April and August.

When: Lightly in April and after flowering in August.

How:

• In April, cut off dead and brown tips back to where the stem is green.
• After flowering, in August, cut faded spikes back to just above the foliage.
• Do not cut into old, bare wood: it regrows badly.
• Trim lightly every year to keep the plant dense and compact.

Caution: Never cut into old, leafless wood: it often does not shoot again.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Cuttings

In July–August: take 5–8 cm cuttings from semi-ripe shoots, remove the lower leaves and insert them in sandy compost. They root within a few weeks; overwinter them frost-free.

Seed

In spring or autumn in a tray of sandy compost. Sow thinly, barely cover the seed and keep the tray outdoors. Germination is slow and uneven.

Pineleaf penstemon: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −20 °C.

• Hardy down to about −20 °C: in Belgium it survives most winters.
• The foliage stays green. Wet soil is more dangerous than frost: make sure drainage is good.
• In a wet winter, a small glass or plastic cover above the plant keeps off rain.
• In a pot: stand it against a sheltered wall and keep the pot dry.

Diseases and pests

• Root rot: Limp, yellow or brown foliage in wet soil. Improve drainage with grit, plant higher or move it to a drier spot.
• Becoming woody: Old plants turn bare and woody at the base. Trim lightly every year and replace old plants in time with cuttings.
• Few flowers: Too much shade or soil too rich. Give it full sun and lean soil.
• Aphids: Rarely, on young shoots. Rinse off with water.

Through the year

• April: Plant. Cut off dead wood and brown tips.
• May: Plant. Wait for the last frosts.
• June: Flowering begins.
• July: Flowering. Take cuttings.
• August: Cut off faded spikes. Take cuttings.
• September: Check the planting spot. Make sure drainage is good.
• October: Improve the spot with grit.
• November: Provide a small cover in wet winters.
• December: Rest. Do not water.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• Pinifolius is Latin for ‘with pine leaves’, after its needle-like leaflets.
• In the wild it grows on rocky, dry slopes in the south-western United States and northern Mexico.
• In its homeland, tubular flowers like these are often visited by hummingbirds.