Life After Lawn: Pretty penstemon adds lots of color

This is one part in a weekly series featuring the UC Davis Arboretum’s “Life After Lawn” series – 45 can’t-fail, easy-care, low-water plants well adapted to our region and ideal for drought-tolerant landscapes.

Amelia Jayne penstemon

Penstemon “Amelia Jayne”

Size: Up to 3 feet tall by 3 feet wide.

Bloom season: Large spikes of dark pink and white flowers in spring and summer.

Exposure: Full sun with late afternoon shade is best.

Pruning needs: Prune to shape in late winter.

Water needs: Medium to low water (if protected from hot summer sun); once established, irrigate once a week or every two weeks.

Snapshot: Bees and hummingbirds love Amelia Jayne, a distinctive and beautiful hybrid penstemon. This large-flowered and wide-mouthed variety features dark pink flowers with white centers. It’s perfect for flower color in spring and summer. Shiny green lance-shaped foliage is attractive. Unlike some penstemon selections, this one does not flop. It holds its flower heads up high – where hummingbirds can find them.

For more on “Life After Lawn,” click on arboretum.ucdavis.edu.

This story was originally published April 29, 2016 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Life After Lawn: Pretty penstemon adds lots of color."