Blackbeard Penstemon
Penstemon digitalis 'Blackbeard'
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Blackbeard Penstemon - Quart Container is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry is designed to protect both consumers and the nursery trade from invasive plant pests and diseases. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases.
This proprietary eCommerce software prevents the shipment of a restricted plant to each state. The Plant Sentry system includes a shipment certification program. The Plant Sentry Compliance Officer works closely with NatureHills.com and each nursery or fulfillment center to ensure only compliant plants are sold to customers.
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Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Shipping
To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.
Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.
Standard Shipping Rates
At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.
| From | To | S&H |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $19.99 | $24.99 |
| $20 | $49.99 | $29.99 |
| $50 | $69.99 | $34.99 |
| $70 | $99.99 | $39.99 |
| $100 | $129.99 | $44.99 |
| $130 | $149.99 | $48.99 |
| $150 | $150+ | Approx 28% |
Click here to see our full rates
Understanding Plant Options
Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:
- Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
- Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements
Container Plant Sizes
Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.
Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 2" x 2" x 3" | 0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts | 0.20 - 0.23 dry liters |
| 4" Container | 0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts | 0.35 - 0.96 dry liters |
| 4.5" Container | 0.65 dry quarts | 0.72 dry liters |
| 6" Container | 1.4 dry quarts | 1.59 dry liters |
| 1 Quart | 1 dry quart | 1.1 dry liters |
| 5.5" Container | 1.89 dry quarts | 2.08 dry liters |
Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Quart | 2 dry quarts | 2.2 dry liters |
| #1 Container | 2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts | 2.49 - 4.11 dry liters |
| 5" x 5" x 12" | 3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts | 3.85 - 4.74 dry liters |
Mature Plants (2-4 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| #2 Container | 1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons | 5.24 - 7.75 dry liters |
| #3 Container | 2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons | 8.14 - 12.16 dry liters |
Large Plants (3-5 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| #5 Container | 2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons | 12.86 - 20.35 dry liters |
| #6 Container | 5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons | 23.12 - 26.42 dry liters |
| #7 Container | 5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons | 26.34 - 28.76 dry liters |
Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.
Common Sizes:
- Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
- Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet
Important Notes
Container Volume Specifications
- Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
- Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
- Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents
Growing Conditions
- Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
- Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
- Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment
Seasonal Availability
- Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
- Container plants are available throughout the growing season
- Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes
Questions?
For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.
Blackbeard Penstemon
Plant Highlights
Blackbeard Penstemon highlights at a glance!
Specifications
Specifications
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Brand
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Botanical Name
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Growing Zones
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Mature Height
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Mature Spread
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Sun ExposureFull Sun
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Moisture
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Soil
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Growth RateMedium
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Pollinator Friendly
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Pruning Time
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Bloom PeriodSummer
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Photos Provided ByWalters Gardens, Inc - www.waltersgardens.com
Growing Zones 3-8
Dramatic and darkly hued Hummingbird magnet! A little drama is a good thing in the landscape! Add interest and charm with the easy-care Blackbeard Penstemon (Penstemon digitalis 'Blackbeard') perennial. Everything about this Blackbeard Beardtongue is highly saturated color!
Lance-shaped foliage is the astounding red-purple of fine Cabernet wine. Even the dark purple flower stems are pretty! The stems stay strictly upright all season long as does the mounds of upright foliage that look fantastic throughout the growing season. Long spires of tubular flowers are shaded electric lavender on the outside and are creamy white on the inside. They bend and wave over the low mound of deep eggplant purple leaves, bringing motion to the landscape.
This long-lasting floral display adds color and charm to your landscape. Even after the flowers are past, attractive dark burgundy seed pods develop, held aloft by the sturdy stems. If you can tear your eyes from the leaves, you might see the blooms through the swarms of pollinators that arrive to sip the nectar! Hummingbirds adore the light purple-pink flowers with white, flaring tubes. They will gather nectar all day long!
Xeric, Firewise, and Deer and rabbit-resistant plants, Beardtongue are hardy native perennials that can be found throughout the States, and this new cultivar is no less adaptable and easy to care for than its wildflower cousins! Extremely cold tolerant in USDA growing zones 3 through mild zone 8, Blackbeard is just the drama your garden has been missing for depth and textural interest!
Planting and Application:
Include both the flowers and the seed pods in your interior cut flower arrangements. You'll love the bold pop of color. This gorgeous Penstemon is a perfect perennial for your Butterfly Garden. We can all do our part to support the needs of beneficial pollinators by planting flowers. Be sure to count how many hummingbirds you see! The plants are dark enough to make it easy to see their jewel-toned feathers and they zip and spin through the air. Kids will LOVE watching the show!
It makes a beautiful thriller in containers, too. Place a few whiskey barrels and add several plants to fill into a lush arrangement. Small enough for container gardening on front porches, balconies and around backyard seating areas. With their long bloom time, Blackbeard will become a favorite of hummingbirds, honeybees and butterflies in your neighborhood. You'll love the look, too!
Smaller-sized mounds, a single specimen easily tucks into any sized garden! Use several plants near the middle of your planting bed. Create a long, sinuous ribbon to capture the eye, or add it as a contrasting foil behind chartreuse or silver-foliage plants. Pair with white and purple blooms, pinks, and offsets nicely with burgundy and maroon reds.
Blackbeard Penstemon is tolerant of road salt, so you can add it to roadside hell-strip plantings. It's rugged and tough enough for use in Rock Gardens and prairie plantings.
Honestly, you really can't go wrong with this one!
- Dark Dramatic Purple & White Tubular Blooms
- Eggplant-Purple Stems & Foliage
- Small Scale Mounds & Persistent Ornamental Seed Pods
- Very Easy Care & Long Lasting
- Mysterious Specimen, Accents, Beds & Borders, & Pollinator Friendly
#ProPlantTips for Care:
Penstemon does it's very best in full sun for the strongest stems and the most blooms. It requires at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day. Plant in very well-drained soil that's not overly enriched and avoid excess fertilizer. Please be sure to give it water during an extended drought. Prune back mounds in the fall after frost has killed back the leafy stems and tops. Place a light layer of Mulch around their crowns with 3-4 inches of arborist bark chips, and to maintain vigor, it's recommended to divide the mounds every few years.
- Full Sun & Partial Shade
- Average to Low Fertility
- Well-Drained Soil & Appreciates Mulch
- Regular Moisture
- Drought-Tolerant Once Established
- Deer & Rabbit-Resistant
Add this dramatic perennial to your landscape this season! Order Blackbeard Penstemon today at NatureHills.com before it is gone! Enjoy the outstanding color and bold impact of the Blackbeard Beardtongue.
