About
Pensham Charlotte Louise' is a herbaceous perennial 75cm high with semi-evergreen leaves and many flowers which are deep pink-red, the throats striped with pale pink and white and edged in darker pink, from midsummer to early autumn.
About the genus
Penstemon may be deciduous or evergreen perennials or subshrubs, with simple, narrow leaves and racemes or panicles of bell-shaped or funnel-shaped flowers in summer and early autumn
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeChalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureWell-drained
AspectWest-facing, East-facing, South-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH4
Plant details
Plant typeHerbaceous Perennial
HabitClump forming
FoliageSemi evergreen
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Coastal, Gravel garden, Patio and container plants, Wildlife gardens
Care notes
CultivationGrow in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. In cold areas, protect plant overwinter with a dry winter mulch. See penstemon cultivation for further advice
PruningDeadhead to encourage a longer flowering season; in autumn, cut plants down to about a third of their height to prevent windrock but leave some protection from frosts; in late spring or early summer after new growth appears and after frosts are over, cut out old stems
PropagationPropagate by softwood cuttings in early summer or semi-ripe cuttings in midsummer, by division in spring, or by layering
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to slugs and snails, and by chrysanthemum eelworm
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free but may be susceptible to powdery mildews and grey moulds