Overview
Penstemon 'Pensham Wedding Day' is a plant with a bushy habit in the genus Penstemon, part of the Plantaginaceae family, with semi-evergreen foliage. Penstemon 'Pensham Wedding Day' grows best in full sun, and tolerates most soils and any pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H4. Suggested uses include flower borders and beds, cottage and informal garden, city and courtyard gardens, coastal, gravel garden, patio and container plants and wildlife gardens.
About
Penstemon 'Pensham Wedding Day' is a bushy cultivar of the Penstemon genus, known as beardtongues, which comprises around 280 species native to North America. This semi-evergreen plant thrives in full sun and is suitable for a variety of garden aspects, including south, west, and east-facing positions. It prefers well-drained soils such as loam, chalk, or sand, and can tolerate acid, alkaline, and neutral pH levels. Hardy to UK zone H4, it is ideal for flower borders, cottage gardens, city spaces, coastal areas, gravel gardens, patios, and wildlife-friendly settings. Propagation is best done by softwood or semi-ripe cuttings in early summer.
About the genus
Penstemon, the beardtongues, is a large genus of roughly 280 species of flowering plants native to North America from northern Canada to Central America. It is the largest genus of flowering plants endemic to North America. As well as being the scientific name, penstemon is also widely used as a common name for all Penstemon species alongside beardtongues.
Wikipedia contributors, "Penstemon", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Penstemon
Growing conditions
Best soil and position for Penstemon
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Loam, Chalk, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H4
Plant details
Penstemon 'Pensham Wedding Day' size, habit and characteristics
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Semi-evergreen
- Suggested uses
- Flower borders and beds, Cottage and informal garden, City and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Gravel garden, Patio and container plants, Wildlife gardens
Care notes
Pruning and caring for Penstemon 'Pensham Wedding Day'
- Propagation
- Softwood or semi-ripe cuttings in early summer
- Pest resistance
- Slugs, Snails, Chrysanthemum eelworms
- Disease resistance
- Downy mildews
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to plant Penstemon 'Pensham Wedding Day'?
Penstemon 'Pensham Wedding Day' prefers full sun. It suits exposed and sheltered positions.
What soil does Penstemon 'Pensham Wedding Day' need?
Penstemon 'Pensham Wedding Day' is adaptable and grows happily in most soil types, including loam, chalk and sand. It is happy in soil of any pH. Aim for soil that stays well-drained.
Is Penstemon 'Pensham Wedding Day' hardy in the UK?
Penstemon 'Pensham Wedding Day' has an RHS hardiness rating of H4, meaning it is hardy through an average UK winter, tolerating -10 to -5°C.
How do I propagate Penstemon 'Pensham Wedding Day'?
Softwood or semi-ripe cuttings in early summer.
From the Fenn Plants journal
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- Keeping Your NerveHow to garden through a heatwave — the best time to water, why deep soaks beat daily sprinkles, caring for pots and vulnerable plants, and why you can let the lawn go brown.
- Made to LastHow to clean, store and protect garden pots and planters — the frost-proof vs frost-resistant difference, winter care for terracotta and ceramic, and how to reuse a broken pot.
More in the Penstemon genus
- Penstemon 'Raven'Beardtongues
- Penstemon barbatusbearded penstemon
- Penstemon barbatus 'Carnea'Golden-beard Penstemon
- Penstemon campanulatusbellflower beardtongue
- Penstemon campanulatus 'Andenken an Hahn'Penstemon
- Penstemon campanulatus 'Evelyn'Beardtongue
- Penstemon campanulatus 'Garnet'Penstemon
- Penstemon campanulatus 'Hidcote Pink'Beardtongue