About
Pensham Czar' is an upright, semi-evergreen perennial to 70cm tall, with mid-green, narrow leaves, stout stems and bell-shaped flowers produced from midsummer into autumn. These are bright purple outside and around the lips, with a solid white throat.
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
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing, East-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH4
Plant details
Plant typeHerbaceous Perennial
HabitBushy
FoliageSemi evergreen
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden, City and courtyard gardens, Coastal, 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
PruningDeadhead regularly, or after flowering shorten flowered stems by half, to encourage further flowering. Cut back to just above new shoots, or lowest healthy leaves, in spring after frost has passed
PropagationPropagate by softwood cuttings in early summer or semi-hardwood cuttings in midsummer. Propagate by division in spring
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to slugs, snails and chrysanthemum eelworms
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to powdery mildews