Seeba Hybrid Penstemons

What a lot of pleasure people are missing when they plant only the well-known things such as peonies and irises. For instance the Figwort Family (Scrophulariaceae–it has been shortened to “Scrophs” by practical-minded people) contains a number of our choicest flowering plants including not only widely grown material such as snapdragons and mulleins but also the charming, less commonly grown penstemons.

We are told that the name penstemon (which has also been shortened by practical-minded people to “pents”) was derived from two Greek words, “penta” meaning five and “stemon” meaning stamen. The name is significant as it calls attention to the fifth stamen which unlike the other four is barren because it was not provided with an anther. This difference sets the genus apart from close relatives like the snapdragon. The sterile stamen is smooth in some species but hairy or “bearded” in others which accounts for the common name of beard tongue.

Several hundred species of penstemons, almost all native to North America, have been described to date. Many of them have exquisite beauty and untold garden value but very few are found growing in the average garden. This may be because people are not acquainted with them and have no idea what a penstemon is, or what beauty it has.

One of the most beautiful species, Penstemon grandiflorus, is native in certain areas of Mid-America. The species name, grandiflorus, means large flowered. It is one of the largest flowering kinds and most elegant. The blossoms, whether lavender, pure white, pink, or purple, are more like hothouse flowers than something perfectly hardy and able to battle all the elements. The cupped, powdery leaves are blue-gray in color. The short bud stems grow in clusters at the nodes of the three to four foot stalks. The entire stem appears to be in bloom at once as one or two or more buds open in each cluster at the same time. This continues over a period of time until all the buds in all the clusters have bloomed. This characteristic of the genus explains why the penstemon is such a spectacular flower, and why it is regarded highly by those who are familiar with its delightful blooming habits.

The Seeba Story

Some 65 years ago in the fall, Mrs. Henry Seeba of Cook, Nebraska, purchased a packet of seeds of the white-flowered variety - Penstemon grandiflorus alba . The seeds produced plants that bloomed for her two years later. One plant was different - it was taller and the flowers a little smaller and not white but evenly plum colored. What caused this plant to be different is something about which we can only form an opinion without evidence. A bee or other insect must have carried pollen from some other penstemon species to this blossom on the white penstemon that produced the seed that grew into the different and unusual plant.

But wait! The plant with the plum colored blossoms was a treasure but it was not the end to the story! It proved to be virtually the beginning of a new race of exciting hybrids. Mrs. Seeba was pleased with her plant - noted that it was something unusual and worthwhile, and permitted seeds to mature. Those seeds she shared generously with other penstemon fans. She planted some in her own garden with the hope they would prove to be true to color. Two years later the plants from those seeds were blooming size and opened their blossoms. People could scarcely believe their own eyes at the gorgeous array of colors - not only were there plum colored blossoms on four to six foot stalks but many other colors; from lavender to dark purple, white, peach, salmon, light pink, dark pink, rose, shades of red from brilliant crimson to wine and maroon to deep dark red-purple, and other colors most difficult to describe. Some blossoms were as large as the original species and others smaller. All were pleasing and delightful. Even the rather pale ones were needed to make the darker ones more striking.

How to Grow

Set the plants in full sun if possible. They will grow and bloom if they are in part shade, but they do much better if the sun can reach all parts of the plant most of the day. We find Penstemon grandiflorus growing on the dry bluffs in the western part of our country where the soil is often hard and deficient in plant food. It is very important that hybrids be set in well-drained places in the garden. They will make finer plants and bloom better if they are given room to spread out. Penstemons do not like to be crowded. They often self-sow and the finest plants are those growing singly, high and dry, with plenty of space for expansion. A single plant may cover an 18-inch area and grow five or six feet tall.

My plants are set in ordinary garden soil. I do not prepare special beds for them. The planting hole should be large enough to spread the roots. Firm the soil well about the roots, being sure the heart of the plant is not covered. The lower leaves should be just above soil level as one would plant a petunia. Water well after planting. Maintain that “nicely moist” condition as they cannot tolerate soggy wet situations. If the weather is hot and dry, the little plants will appreciate slight shade for a few days. Pull a few weeds to place over them, or if there is a garden without weeds, perhaps a tree or shrub is in need of a bit of pruning here and there. When once established, the plants simply require routine care.

Those Seeba Hybrids where particularly beautiful against a background of shrubs or evergreens. Last June I enjoyed a five foot four inch plant with a peach tree in the background. Two of the bud stems were bent toward the top in exactly the same curve. With their bent backs they looked like two kindly old ladies dressed in lavender gowns with small green toques on their heads. They appeared so natural as they nodded (always in the affirmative in perfect agreement - never did I observe an argument) that although arms extended to hold canes had to be a figment of the imagination, one was sure they were there.

Good Combinations

At the southeast corner of the house a plant with maroon colored blossoms harmonized beautifully with salvia, Siberian irises bloomed with the first ones and blended well with all the penstemon colors, as did camassia, Verbascum phoeniceum, dictamnus, and yellow and blue columbines. Blue tradescantia, the blue and the white peachleaf campanula, and white sweet rocket are other fine companion plants if one remembers always to give the penstemons ample room.

They are true perennials but will be short lived if they do not make new rosettes at the base of the plants. These rosettes remain green all winter. Unless seed is desired, cut the flowering stems below the lowest blossoms as soon as they have finished blooming.

You may desire more plants from the finest colored ones. If a plant makes a number of rosettes, it may be divided sometime during the summer. These divisions will bloom the following year. Or one may let the plants set seeds. Plant the seeds in late fall or early spring in a seed frame or a flat outside. Plants will come up in March or early April and be large enough to transplant in June. These will bloom the following year. Since this is a hybrid variety, seedlings will not all be true to color but one usually gets a number of the color desired.

by O Tiemann

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