Plant Overview
One of the best border Penstemons. A smoky mixture of pink and blue with an almost metallic silver sheen on the back of the purple-streaked slender trumpets over much of the summer and into autumn.
This plant is wrongly sold as 'Sour Grapes' by many nurseries. This seems to be a mix up due to an honest mistake at a nursery several decades ago. We sell this and also the correctly named 'Sour Grapes'. They are both wonderful Penstemons.
'Stapleford Gem' has been given the RHS Award for Garden Merit.
Loved by bees.
Hardy in all but the harshest winters.
Height: 50cm
Penstemons really are fantastic plants for any border. They don't seem to suffer from any pest or disease and even the slugs avoid them. On top of that, they flower for months on end, right into autumn when many other plants have given up for the winter. They look equally at home in a traditional cottage garden bed, or a stylish modern design.
Penstemons can be divided into roughly two types. Border hybrids, which grow to between 60 and 80cm and are very colourful, and species Penstemons which are usually lower growing with smaller flowers. Nearly all originate from North America. Border hybrids tend to flower from June to October and species for a shorter period, earlier in the season.
