Life Span
Perennial
Biennial or Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants
Vegetable
Origin
Southwestern United States, California
Europe
Types
-
Leaf beet, Seakettle beet, Spinach beet
Number of Varieties
406
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, meadows
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-94-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-1
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, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Crimson
Red, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green, Green, Orange, Red, White, Yellow
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Orange, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Orange, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full 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
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
Insects
Cercospora leaf spot, Damping off, Darkling beetles, Downy mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Insects
Allergy
Asthma
dark circles, Diarrhea, Runny nose, Vomiting, wheezing
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
Moisturizing, Remove blemishes, Slow downs aging, Speed hair growth
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
Antitumor, Carminative, Haemostatic, Stomachic, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Cultivated for fodder, Eaten as a pot herb, Used to make juice
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Bedding Plant, Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON eatonii
BETA vulgaris ssp. cicla
Common Name
Firecracker Penstemon
Swiss Chard
In Hindi
Firecracker penstemon
Swiss Chard
In German
Kracher penstemon
Swiss Chard
In French
Firecracker penstemon
Chard suisse
In Spanish
Penstemon del petardo
Acelgas
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
Σέσκουλο
In Portuguese
Penstemon do foguete
Acelga suíça
In Polish
petarda penstemon
Boćwina
In Latin
Firecracker Persicaria
Swiss Chard
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Chenopodiaceae
Genus
Penstemon
Beta
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Cyclolobeae
Subfamily
-
Betoideae
Number of Species
2503
1
27800
👆🏻