Penstemon Stapleford Gem
Tubular flowers held in loose spikes, each one lilac-purple outside with a white throat streaked in darker purple lines that guide bees straight in. 'Stapleford Gem' is one of the longer-established garden penstemons and one of the more subtle, the colour sitting between blue and pink depending on the light. Narrow glossy leaves stay on the plant through mild winters. Flowering runs December to April.
A long season and an upright habit make this useful through the middle of a border, in cottage planting, or in a group along a path where the throat markings can be seen close up. It sits well with silver foliage, salvias and grasses. Bees work the flowers heavily, and the stems cut for a vase.
Grow in full sun in free-draining soil of average fertility. Penstemons dislike heavy ground that stays wet in winter more than they dislike drought, so improve clay with grit before planting. Space plants 45 cm apart. Do not cut the plant back in autumn: the old top growth protects the crown through winter, and it should come off in spring instead.
Reaches 0.45 to 0.75 m tall with a spread of around 0.4 m.
Trimming: Leave the framework standing all winter, then cut back to the lowest pair of healthy new shoots in early spring once frosts have finished. Cutting in autumn is the most common way to lose a penstemon.
Deadheading: Remove spent flower spikes at the base through summer to keep new ones coming. This is the difference between two months of flower and four.
Fertilising: A light balanced fertiliser in early spring as growth restarts is enough. Rich feeding produces soft growth that flops and is more likely to rot in winter.
Watering: Water through the first summer and in long dry spells afterwards. Established plants are reasonably drought tolerant and much more at risk from winter wet.
Pest Control: Aphids on new shoots and slugs on spring growth are the usual issues. Neither needs more than routine attention on an established plant.
Disease Management: Powdery mildew marks the foliage in humid weather or on crowded plants. Space plants properly and water at ground level. Root rot in wet clay is the main cause of losses.
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