Penstemon barbatus Coccineus - Beardtongue

Penstemon barbatus 'Coccineus' is an elegant, tall and light plant, superb in country flowerbeds. It is also one of the easiest penstemons to grow in well-drained soil. The plant reveals itself in summer, offering a beautiful combination of colours and textures between fine cherry-red bells and a green-blue willow foliage. Its association with grasses is perfect, and it brings to the garden one of the rare notes of red that do not assault the eyes.

Penstemon barbatus is a short-lived bushy herbaceous perennial belonging to the Plantaginaceae family. This botanical species is native to the mountains of the western United States, up to 4000m (13123ft) altitude, in Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, and Texas. The form or subspecies 'Coccineus', from which it originates, has kept all the characteristics of this very resistant plant. It forms a semi-evergreen basal clump, consisting of fine, linear, green-blue foliage, from which emerge flowering stems reaching 1m (3ft) in height from July to September. The tubular bell-shaped flowers, 4 to 5cm (2in) long, are individually distributed along the stem. They display a luminous shade, both soft and vivid, intermediate between red and pink. A multitude of seeds are dispersed after flowering. This plant has a deep root system, which sometimes makes transplantation difficult, but allows it to find some coolness in depth.

Penstemon barbatus 'Coccineus' is little used in gardens. This is probably because it sometimes struggles to take root when planted in spring. It should be planted in autumn in well-drained flower beds, in the company of shrubby salvias, baptisias, and grasses such as Stipa pulcherrima, Eragrostis or Muhlenbergia capillaris. It will then have time to deeply root and will pass the summer without damage. 'Coccineus' is both gentle and cheerful, with a wild charm, which will keep company with annual poppies, small blue stars of asters and damask nigellas. It is also a very beautiful flower for bouquets.