• Photo of Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red' (Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red's)

Plant Profile: Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red'

Names

Beardtongue, 'Hucskers Red' Penstemon, 'Huskers Red' Beardtongue, Penstemon

  • Photo of Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red' (Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red's)

Phonetic Spelling:PEN-stem-on dij-ee-TAH-liss

Genus:Penstemon

Species:digitalis

Family:Plantaginaceae

'Huskers Red' Beardtongue is a striking hybrid perennial known for its eye-catching white tubular flowers and deep maroon leaves and stems. These flowers bloom on tall stems in panicles from late spring to early summer, drawing in hummingbirds and bees. Initially, the foliage showcases a rich maroon color, which gradually shifts to a greener hue as it matures, while still displaying maroon veining. The vibrant red stems provide a beautiful contrast in the garden.

For optimal growth, plant in well-drained soil that ranges from average to dry, ensuring it receives full sunlight. Once established, this plant is drought-resistant, but be cautious of overly wet winter conditions, as they can lead to root rot. 'Huskers Red' Beardtongue is an excellent choice for pollinator gardens, rock gardens, perennial borders, cottage gardens, or naturalized landscapes.

For further details, refer to information on Penstemon digitalis.

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red' Feature Summary

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red' Image Gallery

Tags

#hummingbirds
#showy flowers
#drought tolerant
#white flowers
#red leaves
#cottage garden
#deer resistant
#red stems
#border front
#nectar plant mid-spring
#HS302
#pollinator garden
#bee friendly

Similar Plants

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red' is often confused with:

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red' Feature Summary

Attributes
Attracts hummingbirds and bees. Deer resistant.
Perennial
Fruit
Oval seed capsules, each containing numerous seeds from July to August.
Flowers
1-inch flowers are white, sometimes with pink blushing and pinkish-purple veins on the inside lower petal. 2-lipped tubular flowers in panicles in late spring to early summer.
Pink
White
2-3 rays/petals
< 1 inch
Leaves
Basal leaves are elliptic and stem leaves are lance-shaped to oblong. The upper leaves are maroon when young and the lower leaves more green with maroon veins. Margins with fine serrations.
Green
Red/Burgundy
Elliptical
Oblong
Lanceolate
3-6 inches
1-3 inches
Stem
Stems are maroon, smooth and round
Red/Burgundy
Smooth (glabrous)
Straight
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Herbaceous Perennial
Mounding
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Acid (<6.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Dry
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Pollinator Garden
Cottage Garden
Naturalized Area
Slope/Bank
Coastal
Bees
Hummingbirds

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red' Attributes

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Wildlife Value

Attracts hummingbirds and bees. Deer resistant.

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red' Fruit

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Fruit Description

Oval seed capsules, each containing numerous seeds from July to August.

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red' Flowers

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Flower Description

1-inch flowers are white, sometimes with pink blushing and pinkish-purple veins on the inside lower petal. 2-lipped tubular flowers in panicles in late spring to early summer.

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Flower Color

filter_vintage
Pink
filter_vintage
White

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red' Leaves

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Leaf Description

Basal leaves are elliptic and stem leaves are lance-shaped to oblong. The upper leaves are maroon when young and the lower leaves more green with maroon veins. Margins with fine serrations.

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Leaf Color

spa
Green
spa
Red/Burgundy

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Hairs Present

No
Yes

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red' Stem

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Stem Description

Stems are maroon, smooth and round

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Stem Color

grass
Red/Burgundy

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Stem Cross Section

Angular
Oval
Round
Square

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Stem Surface

Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Stem Form

Straight
Zig Zags

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red' Whole Plant Traits

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red' Cultural Conditions

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red' Landscape

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Penstemon digitalis 'Huskers Red': Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees