Beardtongue

Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red'

'Husker Red' is a Perennial Plant of the Year selection that earns its keep twelve months a year. The foliage is a deep, glossy burgundy-red. dramatic in the garden even before the white flowers appear. and the color deepens further in fall and persists through winter as a semi-evergreen rosette. In late spring, tall white flower spikes rise above the dark foliage for a classic contrast that works in formal and naturalistic gardens alike. The white, pink-tinged tubular flowers attract hummingbirds, native bees, and bumblebees reliably through its May and June bloom period. It handles average to dry soils and is one of the more adaptable penstemons for garden use. The dried seed heads look good through winter and songbirds occasionally pick them over in late fall.