Plant Height: 18 inches
Flower Height: 12 inches
Spacing: 8 inches
Sunlight: Sun to part sun
Hardiness Zone: 3
Bloom Months: June, July, August
Description:
A lovely penstemon with an earlier bloom time and a compact habit; gorgeous pink flowers rising above green foliage makes a beautiful visual impact when massed in the garden, along walkways, or in borders
Ornamental Features
Elfin Pink Beard Tongue has masses of beautiful spikes of pink tubular flowers rising above the foliage from late spring to early summer, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its narrow leaves remain green in color throughout the season. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.
Landscape Attributes
Elfin Pink Beard Tongue is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Elfin Pink Beard Tongue is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Mass Planting
- Rock/Alpine Gardens
- Border Edging
- General Garden Use
- Container Planting
Planting & Growing
Elfin Pink Beard Tongue will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 12 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 8 inches apart. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.
This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
Elfin Pink Beard Tongue is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.