I don't have any experience growing Sour Grapes but it sure looks pretty.

Of the ones I have my current favorite is Small's penstemon and Gulf Coast penstemon. As a rule penstemons like full sun and well-drained soil, but it all depends on the species -- Small's prefers part shade and Gulf Coast likes it wet. Penstemons also tend to be short-lived -- I've often had to grow Small's and Gulf Coast as annuals. Smooth beardtongue (I'm not really sure whether I have laveigatus or digitalis) has been the easiest to grow and the longest-lived for me, because it's not picky about moisture requirements. I've been wanting to try some of the purple/blue ones -- I love Penstemon cobaea from the pictures I've seen of it. I believe surface noise has grown that particular one with success.

Rootdigger, do you know of a good source in NC? I have a site from a nursery in CA that sells them but would like to know any others.

Thanks,
Carla

Thanks Alicia. So, I have lots to learn about this little jewel.

Carla, I found mine at BB's in Sanford.

I grow a lot of penstemon and it's as hardy and happy as nepeta and monarda for me. Hummingbirds love penstemon! My husband thinks it's a bit vigorous as we had one clump take over one corner of our cottage garden so it's now outside the fence. I divided mine this year, but since I expanded the garden, I've already planted all of them.

Mine have evergreen foliage over the winter. I have several varieties and just ordered "Electric Blue" to try.

'Red Rocks', 'Cathedral Rose' and 'Garnet' are my favorites as I'm partial to magenta/rose colors. This year, I've added Agastache 'Red Fortune' and Coreopsis 'Heavens Gate' to the penstemon vignette. (see my blog for the colors)

I have a few clumps of the purple here and there. If I remember correctly, the variety is 'Minaret Purple'.

I've not found them too picky at all and can't really say that I've done anything special for them. Good soil and drainage, sun or part sun. I think they're hard to kill.

Cameron

Small's penstemon is known for being short-lived; a lot of people grow it as an annual or biennial and let it seed around or collect seed and grow more.

I think Shari has grown Sour Grapes; hopefully she will see this and chime in.

I have 5 varieties 'Mesa', 'Mountain Blue', 'Iron Maiden', 'Stapleford Gem' and 'Elfen Pink'. I love them all but I do have to take cuttings from both the 'Stapleford' and the 'Mountain' because they are likely to just disappear on me.
Joy Creek has the best selection of any nursery that I have come across for penstemons, they are in Oregon though.

I'm not entirely sure what I have is 'Sour Grapes' but it looks like the photos I've seen. It was actually labeled as Salvia and the best I could find out was that it was a Penstemon variety that had been purchased at PDN. Mine has been very vigorous, evergreen, and layers as it sprawls outwards. It has one spectacular bloom period in late spring/early summer and some sporadic rebloom during the rest of the season. It's done well everywhere I've planted it but I don't have any soggy spots in my yard. I took a bunch of it to one of the swaps last year- I think it was Spring. I can bring more this time if anyone wants some.

I also grow the Smooth beardtongue- P. laevigatus and really like it. The basal growth blends in well with other plants and I like the tall blooms. It was the NC Wildflower of the Year a few years back and I've only grown it from seed. BTW Alicia- the laevigatus is what you have. It does need full sun or the bloom stalks will lean out- at least my Mom's do.

I've really enjoyed 'Red Rocks' too. Got that one at one of the swaps.

shari, i'd love to try some grapes if you see anything on my list you'd like. do you grow it in any partly shady spots? thanks, tam

Shari I want some too. (LOL I feel like some greedy person drooling over a cake.) Hopefully I have something you want -- I've updated my list.

In my gardens of sand the penstemon fill that gap between late spring and early summer. I have a variety that is evergreen and invasive to other varieties that are tidy and clump forming. In the two years I have grown them here its my experience that they disappear mid-summer. If most prove to be short-lived, I would not mind treating them as a tender perennial that you would have to replant every couple of years. They are quite lovely, reaching up into the sky in late May, early June. Bluestone Perennials has a very nice selection of penstemon. Adele

Adele

Alicia and Tammy- see the special trade thread.

Adele since you have sand your penstemons will do better than mine -- I have heavy soil and penstemons like good drainage.

We moved our house this year and I am looking forward to gardening in an area with drier conditions than I am used to.

Alicia7b, you MOVED YOUR HOUSE? What does this mean to this New England transplant? That is a brain tickler. Details please. We need to talk. :-) On topic, I am growing P. 'sour grapes' installed last year not in bloom, got in trade from member "puddle_of_mud". I look fwd to the flowers and the results. Let's discuss as the season progesses. I got this plant b/c my gr-grandfather's nickname was "sour grapes" (but in French). He was bitter about not being given full recognition for his woodwork and hand-carvings in the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Montreal. I just had to have this plant. I put it in front of a red Rose climber for contrast. I can send pics later.

I have Penstemon sour grapes in a low spot in heavy clay, and it is thriving.

That's good to hear -- some penstemons can take heavy soil, like Gulf Coast, foxglove, and smooth, and a lot can't. Smooth beardtongue has done very well here. I have at least 3 dozen plants that are going on 4 years now. I thought smooth beardtongue would do well after reading that there's a lot of it at Mason Farm Biological Reserve in Chapel Hill. The Gulf Coast, Eastern Gray, and Small's bloomed like crazy last year and then disappeared in the fall, so I collected seed to keep it going. I already knew that Small's is best treated as a biennal so that wasn't surprising. After the swap I'll try some of the Sour Grapes next to my house and some down in my garden and see which lasts longest.

I have been growing Husker's Red for several years in my full sun Cottage garden - raised beds with a special flower garden soil mix from Triangle Landscaping. This year I WS'd seed from Park Seed - Espirit Mix - I have pretty good germination so am excited to see what I have - it is suppose to bloom first year if planted early.....

Lynne

I have my first Penstemon and don't know how to care for it. Do you remove the long flower stems? I noticed a neighbor left them on and they are putting on new leaves at each joint almost up to the tops where the flowers were.