Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, North-Central United States, Central United States
North America, Northeastern United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Types
Penstemon
Ilex glabra, Ilex crenata, Ilex verticillata
Number of Varieties
153
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Fields, open Woodlands, Wood Margins
Coastal Regions, Lowland, Mountains, Subtropical climates, Suburban areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-85-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
9-1
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Brown
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Red
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Red
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Red
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance-shaped to oblong
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Root Division, Seedlings, Softwood cuttings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water more in summer, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
Complete balanced fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot, Root rot
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Mild Allergen
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Wild gardens
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Tooth ache
-
Part of Plant Used
Root
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Showy Purposes
Can be made into a herbal tea
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON digitalis 'Husker Red'
ILEX glabra
Common Name
Husker Red Penstemon, Talus Slope Penstemon
American Pokeweed, Inkberry, Silberstein American Pokeweed
In Hindi
Talus Slope Penstemon
Inkberry
In German
Gehängeschutt Penstemon
Inkberry
In French
Talus Slope Penstemon
Inkberry
In Spanish
Astrágalo pendiente Penstemon
Inkberry
In Greek
Αστράγαλος Κλίση Penstemon
Inkberry
In Portuguese
Talus Penstemon Slope
Inkberry
In Polish
Talus Slope Penstemon
inkberry
In Latin
Talus Clivo Persicaria
Inkberry
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Scrophulariales
Aquifoliales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Phytolaccaceae
Genus
Penstemon
Ilex
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
280600
1
27800
👆🏻