Anyone who visits my garden in mid-to-late June always asks me “What is that beautiful, white-flowering plant?” The answer is Penstemon ‘Husker Red.’
‘Husker Red’ blooms in early summer and grows about 30 inches tall. Its foliage is maroon red but will display more green if you grow it in shadier areas. ‘Husker Red’ is listed as plant that “prefers full sun but will tolerate light shade.” I grow it in my shade garden (which gets a couple hours of late afternoon sun) and it thrives there.
‘Husker Red’ has a great cottage garden look to it, and I like how the bottoms of the flowers turn violet as they age. A well-established plant will send up a dozen or so flower stalks that will bloom for several weeks.
Last week while driving along a tree-lined street, I noticed a home with scores of ‘Husker Red’ penstemons planted in the terrace. It was a beautiful sight with thousands of of pretty white flowers swaying in the breeze.
After four years in my garden, my plant was large enough to divide into 4 more plants this spring. I’m slowly building my own mass of blooms.