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Red Riding Hood Penstemon

Red Riding Hood Penstemon

PENSTEMON 'Red Riding Hood'

Blooms Summer
Safe delivery guaranteed
Ships as 4"
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Common Name(s)
Border or Garden Penstemon, Beard Tongue
Sunlight
Full Sun (6+ hrs) or Partial Sun / Shade (3-6 hrs)
Perennial Zones
5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Watering
Let dry
Max Height
1'–2'
Max Spread
18"-24"
Special Features
Cut flowers
Garden Design Role
Edging
Bloom Season
Summer
Lifespan
Perennial
Growing Habit
Mounding, Bushy, Clumping
Drought Resistance
High drought resistance
Bloom Color
Red
Foliage Color
Green
Stem Color
Green, Purple/Black
Themes
Fire, Confetti
Genus
Penstemon
Family
Plantaginaceae
Ship Size
4"

Red Riding Hood Penstemon sends up straight stems of bright red tubular flowers above glossy green leaves, and it arrives as a live 4-inch plant ready to do it. The color is clear and unmixed — true red, no salmon, no rose.

Use it for vertical punctuation at the front of a sunny border, as an edging run along a path, or in a patio container where hummingbirds can find the tubes. It is a drought-tolerant perennial once established, content in lean, freely draining soil, and the stems are long enough to cut. Trim old growth back to fresh shoots in early spring and it returns tidy.

Fun fact: Penstemon means five stamens, but only four carry pollen. The fifth is sterile and furred with hairs — the little tongue behind the genus's other name, beard tongue.

  • Sunlight: Full Sun (6+ hrs) or Partial Sun / Shade (3-6 hrs)
  • Water: Let dry
  • Mature Size: 1'–2' tall × 18"-24" wide
  • Bloom Season: Summer
  • Lifespan: Perennial
  • Hardiness Zones: 5–9
  • Special: Cut flowers

Every plant is guaranteed to land healthy, or we replace it at no cost.