Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants
Tree
Origin
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, North-Central United States, Central United States
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Penstemon
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
153
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Fields, open Woodlands, Wood Margins
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-810-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-10
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
H1, H2
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Red
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Red
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Red
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance-shaped to oblong
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Root Division, Seedlings, Softwood cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Consistently
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Moderate
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, 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, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
Complete balanced fertilizer
Fertilize three times a year
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot, Root rot
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Salt
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Mild Allergen
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Wild gardens
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Tooth ache
-
Part of Plant Used
Root
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Showy Purposes
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON digitalis 'Husker Red'
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Husker Red Penstemon, Talus Slope Penstemon
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
Talus Slope Penstemon
Lignum Vitae
In German
Gehängeschutt Penstemon
Lignum Vitae
In French
Talus Slope Penstemon
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
Astrágalo pendiente Penstemon
Palo santo
In Greek
Αστράγαλος Κλίση Penstemon
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
Talus Penstemon Slope
pau-santo
In Polish
Talus Slope Penstemon
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
Talus Clivo Persicaria
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Scrophulariales
Sapindales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Penstemon
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
2803
1
27800
👆🏻