PENSTEMON DIGITALIS 'GOLD FOIL'

Description

New and discovered here! Sprays of lilac-pink tubular flowers open on shortish stems clad in golden yellow leaves, which age to burnished bronze in bright sunshine, and incredibly do not scorch in the sun. This extremely lovely plant was discovered here as a foliage sport some years ago, and subsequent seedlings slowly re-selected until the plants come acceptably true from seed. A brand new and novel foliage penstemon, and possibly the best discovery since the darker leaved variety, Husker's Red, was discovered, with which it makes a perfect companion. One image shows both for comparison.

Sowing Advice

For best results, sow immediately onto a good soil-based compost. Cover the seeds with fine grit or compost to approximately their own depth. They can be sown at any time, and germination can sometimes be quicker if kept at 15 to 20 degrees C. We sow most seeds in an unheated greenhouse and wait for natural germination, as many seeds have built-in dormancy mechanisms, often waiting for natural spring germination, hence giving them a full season of growth. Plant ALL seedlings out. The leaves do not develop their golden colour until they are quite mature in bright sunlight, at which point any green-leaved rejects may be taken out.

Key Facts