Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southwestern United States, California
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
A. houstonianum f. isochroum, A. houstonianum f. luteum, A. houstonianum var. muticescens
Habitat
Dry areas, meadows
Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
10-13
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Cushion/Mound-forming
Flower Color
Crimson
White, Blue, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Leaf Shape
Oblong
Heart-shaped
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
Keep ground moist, Keep the Soil well drained
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
Yes
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Asthma
allergic reaction, Poisonous, Skin irritation
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Edible Uses
No
Insignificant
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
Anodyne, Cuts, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Flowers
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Edging, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON eatonii
AGERATUM houstonianum
Common Name
Firecracker Penstemon
Ageratum, Blue Mink, Flossflower
In Hindi
Firecracker penstemon
Blue Mink
Plant
In German
Kracher penstemon
Blue Mink
Pflanze
In French
Firecracker penstemon
Bleu Mink
Plante
In Spanish
Penstemon del petardo
azul Mink
Planta
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
μπλε βιζόν
Φυτό
In Portuguese
Penstemon do foguete
azul Mink
Plantar
In Polish
petarda penstemon
niebieski Mink
Roślina
In Latin
Firecracker Persicaria
blue Mink
planta
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Asteraceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Season and Care of Firecracker Penstemon and Blue Mink
Season and care of Firecracker Penstemon and Blue Mink is important to know. While considering everything about Firecracker Penstemon and Blue Mink Care, growing season is an essential factor. Firecracker Penstemon season is Summer and Blue Mink season is Summer. The type of soil for Firecracker Penstemon is Loam, Sand and for Blue Mink is Clay, Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Firecracker Penstemon is Neutral, Alkaline and for Blue Mink is Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline.
Firecracker Penstemon and Blue Mink Physical Information
Firecracker Penstemon and Blue Mink physical information is very important for comparison. Firecracker Penstemon height is 61.00 cm and width 25.40 cm whereas Blue Mink height is 30.00 cm and width 30.00 cm. The color specification of Firecracker Penstemon and Blue Mink are as follows:
Firecracker Penstemon flower color: Crimson
Firecracker Penstemon leaf color: Green
Blue Mink flower color: White, Blue and Blue Violet
- Blue Mink leaf color: Green
Care of Firecracker Penstemon and Blue Mink
Care of Firecracker Penstemon and Blue Mink include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Firecracker Penstemon pruning is done No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves and Remove deadheads and Blue Mink pruning is done Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches and Remove dead leaves. In summer Firecracker Penstemon needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Blue Mink needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.