What's the trick with penstemon ?

[didireallysaythat]

So you've seen the hayloft emails. Fab penstemon. I'm tempted. But I've never had a penstemon last longer than 12 months. Pots or garden, poor flowering then they die. I said I'd give up on them.

But now I've moved so the soil is different so maybe I can try again ?

What's the trick to keeping them going ?

Yes - we have lost several over the years, and we are in South Devon, so not really cold. But our soil is very clay, and gets waterlogged.

I don't really know what penstemon need, but we have one now that has lasted a few years, called Blackbird, and has plenty of growth on it even through the winter.

I didn't know Hayloft, but just had a look.

Here's a link to Blackbird (though it's not black at all), and I guess you can only find as much expert advice as possible, and try to give them exactly what they need, as far as you can.

rainyside.com/plant_gallery/perennials/PenstemonBlackbird.html

Good luck

the only thing I do is chop them right back about now, to one or two little leaf growths. The one year I forgot to do this, they all died :(

All my penstemon died too. I read once that the narrower the leaf, the hardier they are, but they all seem to dislike my cold, wet, clay soil.

Sandy, free draining soil and plenty of sun is what they need. I have both and can grow some as perennials though some are still best used an annuals.

I had one in London on clay and it went berserk, complete thug that had to be kept in check. Unhelpfully I can't remember which one. It may have been Blackbird.

I've never had any luck with them either.
Tried them a few years, Hayloft & others, but all died. But I am in the north on a cold, windy hill so perhaps I'm being over optimistic

I'm in the south east. Dry but arctic winds.

It's slightly consoling to find out it's not just me. But I might just take the plunge with blackbird as it looks robust !

Thank you all.

Mine do well on very alkaline soil and in a south facing front garden. Not sure which ones I have but they go berserk most years and I've just cut mine right back again. Hope they'll have survived all the rain!