Native Plant of the Month: Gulf Coast Penstemon, Penstemon tenuis

This perennial is one of the earliest plants to bloom in the spring by producing

purple blooms from March through June. It loves the sun, part-shade, and moist

soil. It can tolerate soil with poor drainage. This plant grows to about 30” tall. It

can be found along the Gulf coast prairies and marshes. Bees, butterflies, and

hummingbirds love this plant.

This plant drops seeds, so watch for seedlings at the base. Easy to replant or

share these free plants. To collect seeds, at the end of the summer, cut the dried

stems with their seed pods and place them upside down in a paper bag. The tiny

seeds will fall into the bag. The seeds need light to germinate. Because you are

working with very small seed, the plants often germinate close together. Once the

seeds germinate, use a small spoon to scoop out a small amount and place in a

4” pot. Cutting can be taken from non-flowering shoots in late summer. Cut a

section of stem that has 4 nodes. Remove the leaves from the bottom 2 nodes

and dip in rooting hormone. Keep moist and place in a low light area until roots

form. This plant should be divided every 3 years. -Louise Prejean

Photo Credit: Smith, R. W.

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