Pep Talk Hot Pink Hartweg's Beardtongue

Pep Talk Hot Pink Hartweg's Beardtongue (Penstemon hartwegii 'Pep Talk Hot Pink') is a bushy, upright perennial with large, vibrant warm pink flowers, each with a bright white throat, from summer into autumn. It grows to about 70cm tall and 50 to 70cm wide. The Pep Talk series gives a bushier plant and bigger blooms than older penstemons.

Why you'll love it

• Bold colour with a white centre. The warm pink flowers are large and each one has a crisp white throat, so they read clearly from across the garden.
• A bushy habit. Branching is dense for a penstemon, so the plant looks full rather than leggy.
• Pollinators visit all season. Bees and butterflies work the nectar-rich tubular flowers from summer to autumn.
• Cold tolerant. It is a frost tolerant plant, and the species has earned the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
• Quick and easy. It grows fast with regular water, and snipping off spent stems keeps new flowers coming.

Where it works best

Mixed beds and cottage borders. Plant 50cm apart in drifts of three or more. The hot pink flowers lift a planting of greys, whites and soft blues, and the narrow leaves give a fine texture.

Pollinator and wildlife gardens. Place it near the path or window where you can watch the bees working the flowers, and mix it with plants that flower in other seasons.

Large pots. At 70cm it suits a deep container on a sunny deck or entry. Use free draining potting mix and water regularly in summer.

Growing Pep Talk Hot Pink Hartweg's Beardtongue in Australia

Position and climate. Give it sun or part shade. The species comes from Mexico, yet this selection tolerates frost, which makes it a good fit for warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens. Where winters are very cold, plant it close to a sheltered wall. Expect it to stay leafy in mild districts and to drop its foliage in colder ones.

Soil. A light, quick draining soil is ideal. Acid and alkaline ground both suit it, but boggy spots do not.

Water and feed. Mulch after planting and water regularly for the first 12 weeks. After the spring cut back, feed with a slow release fertiliser, and add seaweed through the hottest weeks.

Pruning. Remove spent flower stems as they fade so new ones keep coming. In mid spring, shorten the whole plant to its low shoots, since flowers form on fresh growth.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Pep Talk Hot Pink Hartweg's Beardtongue as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. Expect a small leafy plant rather than one in flower. Plant it out soon after arrival, water it in well, and it will start building the bushy shape that the series is known for.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Perennial plants for a cottage garden
• Plants that feed bees and butterflies
• More flowering plants for colour
• Frost hardy plants for cold gardens

Common questions

Will it flower more than once?

Often it will. Snip off spent flower stems as the blooms fade and the plant sends up new ones, giving colour from summer into autumn.

How do I keep it bushy?

Cut it back to low shoots in mid spring and feed it afterwards. Fresh growth then branches from the base, which keeps the plant dense instead of leggy.

Does it suit humid gardens?

It prefers light, free draining soil and can struggle in wet, humid summers. In those climates give it the sunniest, best drained spot you have, or grow it in a pot.