Strobilanthes penstemonoides dalhousieana

A wonderful choice for average to dryish bright shade, this very rare long-lived evergreen perennial from mountain forests in the Himalayas grows quickly to 3 or 4’ tall & spreads slowly to at least 5’ across, rooting along prostrate stems as it goes. It’s easy to control the spread by just pulling up the rooted stems & it doesn’t mind pruning back for height control either. Forming a very dense, bushy, multi-stemmed & multi-branching mound of 5” long deep-green, serrated, tapering leaves, it bursts into bloom in late June, bearing a mass of lavender blue 1”-1.5” flaring Penstemon-like flowers. With average water the bloom season continues thru August & in dry soil blooming lasts about a month. A cinch to grow, give it rich – loamy soil & stand back!

Annie