Penstemon Whippleanus Chocolate Drop

A really striking perennial with dark purple to deepest burgundy flowers and a pinstriped cream coloured throat. The very occasional white flower will appear but worth keeping in itself. Both sinister and appealing. 2'.

How to Grow Penstemon from Seed

Penstemons are fabulous late-flowering border plants. Long-flowering, easy to grow and, unless the winter is particularly harsh, they grow back again the following year and flower again.

They prefer a sunny position and will attract bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects to your garden.

For best results, sow seeds onto a good soil-based compost. Between February and April, or during September. Cover the seeds with fine grit or compost to approximately their own depth. Germination is variable but most commonly around 21 days, it can be quicker if kept at 15 to 20C. Spring sowing will obviously give them a full season of growth.

Transplant seedlings into 3 inch pots when they are large enough to comfortably handle. Spring sown seed will make good plants for overwintering and may even flower lightly. Autumn sown plants, when pricked out, will need glass or fleece protection in the first year. Do not overwater and try to provide good levels of light.