One-Sided Beardtongue (Penstemon virgatus var. asa-grayi, sold as P. unilateralis) | $14.99 | 4-inch pot🌿 Quick Facts: • Native Status: Native to North America — a true Colorado / Southern Rockies native • USDA Growing Zones: 3-7 • Height: 18-24 inches (to 32 inches) • Spread: 10-18 inches🌺 Bloom Details: • Season: Late spring to midsummer • Colors: Lavender-purple to blue-violet with purple nectar guides • Flower Type: Narrow tubular flowers held along one side of slender spikes • Bloom Period: May-July☀️ Growing Requirements: • Sun: Full sun • Water: Very low to low (drought tolerant once established) • Soil: Lean, well-draining; tolerates sand to clay; dislikes rich or soggy beds • Spacing: 12-18 inches apart🦋 Pollinator Benefits: • Birds: Seed capsules feed finches & juncos • Native Bees: Special value to native bees — bumble & mason bees • Butterflies: Nectar source; Penstemons host Anicia checkerspot larvae • Beneficial Insects: Draws hoverflies & small predatory wasps🌱 Plant Care: • Spring: Cut old stalks back to the basal rosette; no fertilizer • Summer: Deadhead to tidy, or leave a few spikes to self-sow • Fall: Let capsules ripen and reseed; ease off water • Winter: Leave stems for structure; keep the crown dry🤝 Companion Planting: • Perfect paired with: Blue Grama Blanketflower Chocolate Flower Prairie Sagewort ✨ Unique Characteristics: • Genuine Front Range native • Distinctive one-sided flower spikes • Thrives in unamended clay where other penstemons rot • Self-sows politely into gravel gardens • Cold hardy to zone 3
