Anyone growing this plant? I picked up a healthy speciman at The Rutgers Plant sale back in April, its just starting to bloom. Such an unusual looking plant, nice addition to my gardens.








Pam NJ 6B

And while I have your attention, anyone familiar with this Pestemon?








Thanks!

Pam NJ 6B

Pam your Indian Pink looks great! I have tried to get nurseries here to carry it but no luck. I will end up orderiing one online at some point. No idea on the Pestemon. Looking at the leaves, I don't think it is barbatus

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Pam,

Both the plants look gorgeous. Eckles on Tenant has some gallon pots of Elfin Pink Penstemons for about $3. I also found Mesa azure and rose in Casolas.

Any interesting finds to report?

Suchie

I had 3 of these that I planted last year. All of them bloomed, but never returned this spring. Boo hoo! They looked totally healthy and happy last year, so I'm very surprised that they didn't come back. I understand they're slow to break dormancy, so I wasn't too concerned until June came--and still no Spigelia! I finally gave up and stuck a red-leafed coleus in their place to fill the hole--a poor substitute for the Spigelia, but I got it free with an order and didn't know where else to put it.

I had such high hopes for getting photos of hummingbirds using them, making spigelia hummingbird feeders....all dashed, now....

Pam,

The Indian Pink pics are lovely! That 3rd pic looks like the variety I have 'Red Rocks'...
Here's a pic with a bloom of 'Old Court' Shasta Daisy. To be quite honest, I actually got the 2 gallon size Agastache 'rupestris' today to replace the 2 'Red Rocks' because I just don't like them. They didn't bloom last year when I bought them so all i had to go by was pics at Dave's Garden and the tiny pic on the tags they came with. Of coarse I got them for the hummers, but in our garden, to me they look terrible. Half of the stalks of blooms are laying on the ground. I have many plants staked in the garden already. I don't want to have to "rope/twine" them up as lovely as the blooms are. So, tomorrow they will be going bye-bye. Here's the pic I took yesterday...


Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

I have been grown Indian Pinks for a few years. I love it. I don't know how much hummingbird action it gets. I am still trying to decide if I can take cutting and root them. I would love to get it started all around my yard. I understand it is not easy to take cuttings from this plant. I don't know about seperating the root system.

Dianne
Southeast Alabama
Heat Zone 8
Sunset Zone 31

Pam - our Indian Pinks are flourishing this year. So far, I've only seen a male using them once... I staked out the area last week... camera in hand... no luck. I'm hoping that they're still in bloom when the immature hummers start showing up. Most of our visitors seem to be focused on the feeders now.

Here's a few more shots of Spigelia Marilandica... they make great subject blooms






Bud
Southwest Ohio
USDA Plant Zone 6a

Camera: Pentax K20D
Lens: Pentax DA*300 f/4, Sigma 180 f/3.5 Macro
There's 1 or 2 more hummingbird / butterfly pics located here...
http://www.pbase.com/budohio

Suchie,

By Eckles do you mean that little roadside stand next to the school in Morganville/Marlboro? I stopped there the other day and saw a few Penstemon's she had left over, but I didn't bite.

Kristen,

You are just too funny. I could send you a pic of the hummers feeding on the Spigelia as soon as THEY decide to....

Susan,

I think mine a redder, I'll do a search. I believe the first or second year plants tend to fall over easily, THIRD years the charm! Can't you put a sturdier plant next to them to hold up their brothers???

Dianne,

Maybe Ward will chime in on how to take cuttings, hell, He'll probably fly over here to take some for his gardens! lol

Pam NJ 6B

Bud,

Great pics! I have plenty of buds, can't wait for them all to start blooming. Can't wait for those Juvies either. Shouldn't be long now!

Pam NJ 6B

"He" planted his first plant this year. All I remember from reading about propagation was the word difficult, not impossible. Mine has been blooming for a few weeks now and my main concern is not breaking it when I pull out the hose. Very cool, isn't it?

Pam,

Yes, that is Eckles. If you are interested in more Mesa hybrids, check out Casola.

Suchie

Ward,

Where did "HE" purchase his plant? Rare finds in Jackson is supposed to be selling them, but when I called a month ago they weren't ready. I think they buy plugs and plant them out. I was glad when I saw Rutgers had it, it was a gallon plant.

ANd yes, very cool plant indeed!


Suchie,

Call before you head to Rare finds, its a haul!
No more Hybrid Mesa for me, I'm not in love with this plant. Too leggy, leaves are kind of dry looking and its just not appealing to me. It did its job in early spring when nothing else was in bloom, now on to Bigger and Better plants. The hummers really loved those though, lots of blooms. There will be new plants blooms daily from now on and hopefully lots of Juvies to enjoy them.

Pam NJ 6B

Oh, you mean him. That fellow got his from Plant Delights.

I think I found the Penstemon name. PPenstemon barbatus coccineus. I started these from seed in 2008 and they only bloomed for the first time this year. Another "cool looking" plant.

Pam NJ 6B

Pam
I got 2 Penstemon barbatus (one was a coccinea) at our local plant swap last week end and the leaves were long and slightly rounded at the tip. They aren't blooming yet so I will have to wait to see what the blooms look like but none of the penstemons I currently have growing have the serrated arrow shaped leaves.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Plant Swap???? That sounds like fun!!! What else did you bring home?

Pam NJ 6B