Penstemon Sweet Joanne - Beardtongue

Penstemon Sweet Joanne is a herbaceous perennial with delicate lavender flowers in summer. They resemble those of the foxglove. It is hardy and appreciates moist soils in summer, well-drained all year round, and full sun. A beautiful and easy flower, ideal for enhancing English or romantic borders and creating bouquets.

This lovely Penstemon originates from the desert areas of North America, such as the southern United States or Mexico. It can also be found in the dry mountains of this region. It is a very floriferous semi-evergreen perennial that forms a small bush of 50 cm in all directions whose leaves can be alternate, opposite, or sometimes even whorled. The flowers appear in July and bloom profusely until the first frosts. Oblong and bell-shaped, in Sweet Joanne they are a pink-lavender colour. The throat is white veined with magenta. The corolla is set within a purple calyx. This asymmetrical corolla consists of two lips: two fused lobes for the upper lip, three for the lower lip. The name Penstemon derives from the Latin Penta, meaning five. This uniqueness gives it the appearance of slightly open and grimaced lips. Both its shape and colour remind us of foxgloves, minus the toxicity. The flowers, measuring 3 to 4 cm in length, are gathered in panicles at the upper part of the stem.

Penstemon Sweet Joanne is hardy. However, it appreciates winter mulching. It enjoys light soils, accepts calcareous terrains, and as a desert plant, it naturally withstands drought very well. It should be exposed to full sun or possibly partial shade. Cut the flowers as soon as they are faded to encourage further flowering. Its exceptionally long flowering period allows it to associate with summer and autumn plants. Consider silver-leaved wormwoods, Verbena Star Dreams in mauve for summer. Echinaceas, Nepeta faassenii Six Hills Giant in lavender blue, and Liatris spicata also make an appearance for a colourful Indian summer.

In Native American pharmacopoeia, Penstemons have long been used as analgesics to combat toothaches. Nowadays, their ornamental qualities are preferred.