Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red'
Good Qualities:
Year 1:
Year 2:
A nice, pretty early flower. It works so well in bouquets and my customers buy lots of stems. It has a long bloom time and I often use the seed pods in the fall. I love the purple foliage, as well; Early, long stem; Nice red stem and foliage. Delicate bloom with 7-10 day vase life; Lots of flowers in short time; Great foliage, long flower spikes; I took cuttings because I liked the plant. It yielded about 4 or 5 stems per plant. Have taken cuttings again. Will take cuttings each fall. Great color and different.
Problems:
Year 1:
Year 2:
None; Skinny stem and not a very dramatic flower. Plants don’t all overwinter; Not well known. Flowers are not huge; Too bland flower color; Need support.
Trial Data
Year 1
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating (1) | Repeat Again Rating (1) | Ease of Cultivation Rating (1) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 1.5 | 13.0 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 4.5 |
(1) Data shown are from those respondents who harvested stems. Some respondents may not have harvested stems because they were too short. Flowering stems may be longer next year after plants are established. See comments section for more details.
(2) 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Year 2
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating (1) | Repeat Again Rating (1) | Ease of Cultivation Rating (1) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 19.2 | 33.2 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.7 |
(1) Data shown are from those respondents who harvested stems. Some respondents may not have harvested stems because they were too short. Flowering stems may be longer next year after plants are established. See comments section for more details.
(2) 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Supplier
Grow’n Sell
320 Lower State Rd.
Chalfont, PA 18914
215-822-1276
FAX 215-997-1770
www.gro-n-sell.com
Comments:
Year 1:
Plants flowered for southern participants but not for northern or western participants. All are alive and doing well (4); I already grow this one and just love it. It produces like crazy with pretty flowers and long stems.
Year 2:
I have been growing this one for several years and I really love it; I already had this plant from 1996. I still have. It’s okay but not worth planting more; Good plant, nice in landscape, attracts butterflies and hummingbirds but not florists, sells slowly.