Penstemon ‘Onyx & Pearls’

A real standout in our perennial tunnels, Penstemon ‘Onyx & Pearls’ catches the eye with its intense foliage colour. The leaves are a deep purple-black, held on strong, upright stems. From early summer, these dark stems are topped with contrasting pale lavender or nearly white tubular flowers, which are a magnet for visiting bees and hummingbirds.

This is a robust, clump-forming perennial, reaching about a metre in height when in flower. It has an upright habit and will fill out to a similar width. For the best, darkest foliage, plant it in full sun and in well-drained soil. It’s quite adaptable, tolerating a range of soil types, but won’t appreciate sitting in wet conditions, especially over winter.

Once it’s established on our Thurning ground, we find it needs very little water. To keep the plant looking tidy, you can cut back the old, faded flower stems in late winter or early spring, just as new growth begins to emerge from the base. It’s a fantastic choice for adding height and season-long colour to mixed borders and prairie-style plantings.