Get 50% off al spring bulbs!
Share your pictures? Hide split images
I have read and agree the terms and conditions of service.

Penstemon barbatus Iron Maiden

Penstemon barbatus Iron Maiden
Beardtongue, Scarlet Bugler

Be the first to leave a review

Why not try an alternative variety in stock?

11
From €2.50 Seeds
31
From €2.50 Seeds
52
From €2.90 Seeds
7
From €5.50 Seeds
53
From €3.90 Seeds
6
From €6.50 Seeds
6
From €5.50 Seeds
15
From €3.50 Seeds
11
From €9.50 Seeds
31
From €5.90 Seeds
4
From €8.50 Seeds
4
From €3.50 Seeds
17
€7.90 Seeds

Schedule delivery date,

and select date in basket

This plant carries a 6 months recovery warranty

More information

Elegant and lightweight, this penstemon hides a robust health beneath its much-welcomed flowering in late summer, with a soft red hue that does not strain the eyes. Its tall spikes laden with delicate bell-shaped flowers rise above a clump of fine, semi-evergreen, green-blue foliage. Its combination with grasses is perfect for country-style borders. A hardy perennial resistant to drought, it does, however, prefer fairly fertile soils and thrives in the sun.
Flower size
4 cm
Height at maturity
1 m
Exposure
Sun
Annual / Perennial
Perennial
Germination time (days)
22 days
plantfit-full

Does this plant fit my garden?

Set up your Plantfit profile →

Sowing period March to May
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Flowering time July to September
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Description

Elegant and lightweight, the Penstemon barbatus 'Iron Maiden', also known as Beard-tongue, hides a robust health beneath its airy flowering, so welcome at the end of summer. While summer blooms fade away, its tall stems emerge from the flowerbeds, adorned with delicate bell-shaped flowers in a soft pinkish-red, gentle on the eyes. Its tall spikes rise above a clump of very fine, semi-evergreen, green-blue foliage for three months. It creates a superb tableau with grasses in a flowerbed or a wild bouquet. This very hardy perennial is resistant to drought, loves relatively fertile soils and adores the sun.

 

Ole Penstemon barbatus is a short-lived bushy herbaceous perennial belonging to the family Scrophulariaceae, native to the mountains of the western United States, up to 4000 meters (13123 feet) altitude, in Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, and Texas. The 'Iron Maiden' variety, from which it originates, has retained many of the characteristics of this very resistant plant. It forms a semi-evergreen basal clump consisting of fine, linear, green-blue foliage, from which floral stems up to 1 metre (3 feet) tall emerge in the second half of summer. The tubular bell-shaped flowers, 4 to 5 cm (2in) long, are individually distributed along the stem. They display a bright, soft, vibrant hue, intermediate between red and pink. A multitude of seeds is dispersed after flowering. This plant has a deep root system, which sometimes makes transplantation difficult but allows it to find some coolness at depth.

 

The Penstemon barbatus is rarely used in gardens. This is probably because it sometimes struggles to establish when planted in spring. It should be planted in well-drained flowerbeds in autumn in the company of shrubby salvias, toadflaxes, and grasses such as Stipa tenuifolia or Muhlenbergia capillaris. It will then have time to sink its roots deep and survive the summer without damage. The 'Iron Maiden' Beard-tongue is a very cheerful plant with a wild charm that will keep company with annual poppies, small blue stars of asters, and damask flowers. It is also a lovely flower for bouquets.

 

 

Flowering

Flower colour red
Flowering time July to September
Inflorescence Spike
Flower size 4 cm
Bee-friendly Attracts pollinators
Good for cut flowers Cut flower blooms

Foliage

Foliage persistence Semi-evergreen
Foliage colour green

Plant habit

Height at maturity 1 m
Spread at maturity 40 cm
Growth rate normal

Botanical data

Genus

Penstemon

Species

barbatus

Cultivar

Iron Maiden

Family

Scrophulariaceae

Other common names

Beardtongue, Scarlet Bugler

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference14741

Other Thompson and Morgan seeds

35
From €4.50 Seeds
1
From €4.90 Seeds
12
30% €3.43 €4.90 Seeds
Out of stock
From €4.50 Seeds
Out of stock
From €6.50 Seeds
Out of stock
From €5.90 Seeds
27
From €5.50 Seeds

Planting and care

Sow the seeds of galane from late winter to mid-spring on the surface of a good potting soil, barely covering the seeds with a thin layer of compost or vermiculite. Germination takes 14 to 30 days at 15-18°C (59-64.4°F). Keep the sowing in the light in a sealed polyethene bag.

When the plants are large enough to handle, transplant them into 8cm (3in) pots and grow them in cooler conditions. Then, gradually acclimate them to outdoor conditions and place them outside in late spring or early autumn. Space them 30cm (12in) apart. Set them outside in full sun and well-drained soil.

The Penstemon barbatus is a plant that grows in mountainous climates. As such, it tolerates drought but not heat as well. Its flowering will be more beautiful in the sun and slightly cool soil but imperatively well-drained. In heavy soil, it is useful to mix coarse river sand or gravel with the planting soil and loosen it to a depth of 50cm (20in).

 

16
€14.50 Each

Sowing period

Sowing period March to May
Germination time (days) 22 days

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Rockery
Type of use Border, Slope
Hardiness Hardy down to -18°C (USDA zone 7a) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Any
Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil, Draining, rich

This item has not been reviewed yet - be the first to leave a review about it.

Leave a review →

Flower seeds

13
From €3.50 Seeds
14
From €2.10 Seeds
10
From €3.90 Seeds
49
From €5.50 Seeds

Available in 3 sizes

7
From €3.50 Seeds
26
From €2.10 Seeds

Haven't found what you were looking for?

We only deliver seed and bulb products to your country. If you add other products to your basket, they cannot be shipped.