Penstemon ‘Dark Towers’ – Beardtongue

Missouri Botanical Garden: ‘Dark Towers’ is a clump-forming penstemon that typically grows 1.5-3’ tall. It is noted for its pink flowers and dark wine-red foliage. Two-lipped, tubular, pale pink flowers (each to 1.5”) in loose terminal racemes bloom from late spring into summer atop erect, rigid, leafy stems. Foliage (oblong to ovate basal leaves and lance-shaped stem leaves) are an attractive dark maroon/wine red. Foliage generally retains good color throughout summer. ‘Dark Towers’ is similar to Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’, but differs by having darker red foliage that appears to maintain its dark red color better in summer, pink instead of white flowers and slightly taller plant height. Both cultivars were developed and introduced by Dale Lindgren at the University of Nebraska.