Culture
Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Plants have some tolerance for drought, summer heat and humidity. Avoid wet, poorly-drained soils. Remove spent flowering racemes to prolong bloom. Plants may be cut back to basal foliage after flowering to improve appearance of the planting. Plants in cold winter climates often benefit from a loose winter mulch.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Penstemon is a genus of about 250 species of herbaceous perennials and sub-shrubs which are primarily native to the continental U.S., Canada, Mexico and Guatemala in a variety of habitats ranging from desert to plains to alpine slopes. A large number of hybrids have been developed over the years, but most are of unclear parentage.
Genus name comes from the Greek words penta meaning five and stemon meaning stamen in reference to each flower having five stamens (four are fertile and one is sterile).
Penstemons are sometimes commonly called beardtongues because the unusual sterile stamen contained in each flower has a tuft of small hairs.
LILLIPUT ROSE is a compact, upright penstemon or beard tongue that features fragrant tubular dark pink flowers with pink-striped white throats and lanceolate dark glossy green leaves. Plants typically grow to 10-14” tall. This plant is the result of a cross between unnamed plants of Penstemon kunthii. Loose terminal racemes of two-lipped, tubular, rose pink flowers (to 2” long) atop erect, rigid stems bloom from late spring well into summer (sometimes to frost). Clasping, narrow, lance-shaped to linear, willow-like, stem leaves (2-6” long) are medium green. Where winter hardy, oblong to ovate basal foliage retains some green color over winter. U.S. Plant Patent PP16,773 was issued on July 4, 2006.
Problems
Root rot can occur in wet, poorly-drained soils. Leaf spots, rusts, powdery mildew and Southern blight may also occur. Slugs and snails may chew on the foliage. Watch for spider mites. Deer tend to avoid this plant.
Uses
Where winter hardy, grown in sunny areas of beds, borders or rock gardens. In St. Louis, plants are best grown in beds or containers as if they were annuals.