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Growing Penstemons: Requirements and Companion Plants

What Penstemons Need

At least 6 hours of daily sun
Good air circulation
Well-drained, low-organic-matter soil
Remove most container soil from rootballs before planting to encourage establishment
Minimal competition from neighbors
Water before bloom; dry conditions after
Promptly remove spent flower stalks to prevent seed formation
Protect shrubby evergreen species from drying winter winds

Good Companion Plants

Flowering: Achillea, Anthemis, Callirhoe involucrata, Calylophus, Cistus, Dianthus, Eriogonum, Eschscholzia californica, Gaura lindheimeri, Helianthemum, Hesperaloe parviflora, Iris (bearded/hybrids), Linum, Nepeta, Oenothera, Papaver, Salvia.

Foliage: Agave, Artemisia, Dasylirion, Yucca.

Grasses: Festuca californica, F. glauca, F. idahoensis, Nassella tenuissima, Stipa.

About Garden: Gardening in Pure Manure: Dilution Is Essential; Carnivorous Plant Care Basics: Water, Humidity, Feeding, and Propagation Resources; Troubleshooting Exotic Angel Plants from Home Depot; Reviving Discolored Tomato Plants: Faded Green and Purple Leaves; What Is Mulch & Why Your Garden Needs It: Types, Benefits & How to Apply; Best Plants for Shade Gardens: Ferns, Hostas, and More; What Is Gardening? Types, Scales & Purposes; Hydroponics 101: Growing Plants Without Soil; What Petunias Need: Sun, Soil, Water, and Care; Complete Guide to Growing Tomatoes: From Seed to Harvest

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