Penstemon, Bunchleaf Penstemon, Chaparral Penstemon, Foothill Penstemon 'Margarita BOP'

This is one of the best selections for the Pacific Northwest, as it can take a lot of water for a penstemon. That last part is important...Read More, as penstemons generally don't like summer water and this cultivar is still not quite garden tolerant in our clay soils. They're easy to kill if planted too closely to a watered lawn. If you mulch them with gravel and plant a few feet from the lawn in a full-sun location, you'll probably be OK. Alternatively, these do nicely in pots with "cactus soil" mix and extra drainage holes. They grow rather quickly, look good all year, and the purple/blue flowers are enjoyed by both hummingbirds and humans.

Gorgeous, almost iridescent, blue and purple flowers. Long blooming and long-lived.

Zone: 6-9
Height: 18-24''

One of the smaller Penstemon....but a beauty! The flowers have a bit of an opalescent sheen to them, and are just so pretty, the plants ...Read Morestay nice and compact, they bloom forever(!!!), and are reliably perennial if given great drainage, and a collar of gravel to prevent water staying there - but otherwise....GREAT!!

This plant does quite well in my climate. I have included it in a full sun bed with an organic fertilizer and it has taken right off!