Do you like snapdragons?  If you do, and want to try a perennial with similar good looks, think about penstemon.  This native American plant is part of the same Scrophulariaceae family as snapdragons, flax and verbascum.  The family name is unpronounceable, but "penstemon" is easy and the common nickname--"beard tongue", is even easier.

Most commercially available species stand between twelve and thirty inches tall, with relatively narrow, medium green leaves that appear opposite each other on the stems.  The flowers, which can be cream, pink, shades of red, blue-purple or purple, are tubular, flaring at the mouth. 

Most penstemon are good for beginning gardeners, but Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red' is one of the best to start with. Named "1996 Perennial Plant of the Year" by the Perennial Plant Association, 'Husker Red' features reddish-bronze foliage and white flowers that adorn the top third of the thirty to thirty-four inch stalks.

Penstemon is an unfussy plant that thrives in full sun, but can make do with a small amount of shade, especially in the deep south.  Once established, most varieties thrive best in lean soil.  The plants are drought tolerant as well, and various species will sometimes reseed if they are not deadheaded after flowering.

There are lots of penstemon cultivars and species on the market, so try a few.  Plant in groups of three, five or seven and enjoy the summer show.