Penstemon barbatus PINACOLADA™ 'Violet' beard-tongue
Symbivit Tric (arbuscular)
Symbivit (arbuscular)Penstemon
Genus Penstemon – Beardtongue is a perennial from the plantain family and includes over two hundred species, among which Penstemon digitalis stands out as one of the most resilient and well-adapted to Central European conditions. Native to North America, specifically the eastern prairies, it was first botanically described in 1823 by Thomas Nuttall (1786–1859), an Englishman who spent most of his botanical career in North America. In the wild, beardtongue thrives in sunny spots, forest edges, and ditches, benefiting from its ability to grow in well-drained, often dry and poor soils. Its species name, digitalis, reflects its resemblance to our native perennial – foxglove (Digitalis), though unlike foxglove, beardtongue is non-toxic. In 2021, the genus Penstemon was declared "Perennial of the Year" by the Czech Perennial Growers Association, earning deserved attention in our gardens, and very likely only then did it begin to gain more recognition.
PIÑACOLADA™ is a fantastic, low and compact growing series of perennial beard-tongue. Violet is a variety with indigo blue and dark violet flowers. The common name refers to the small, tubular-shaped flowers which open from June until August and may resemble a beard’s tongue if you dare to examine one. Or it can be cut back (the whole plant, not the tongue … joke, sorry, difficult to resist) after the main flowering season in midsummer and it will re-bloom in September.
Last update 16-01-2014
Leaves are deciduous, linear, mid green and flowering stems are not taller than about 20 cm. Pinacolada likes fertile, well-drained soil that does not dry out completely, especially in its first year. The soil should be neutral to partly alkaline (no peat). It can be grown in full sun or part shade, it does well in outdoor pots with good drainage. Hardy to about -27°C, in sharp-draining soil it can take harder frost.
