{"product_id":"pep-talk-purple-hartweg-s-beardtongue-penstemon-hartwegii-pep-talk-purple","title":"Pep Talk Purple Hartweg's Beardtongue - Penstemon hartwegii 'Pep Talk Purple'","description":"\u003cp\u003ePep Talk Purple Hartweg's Beardtongue (\u003cem\u003ePenstemon hartwegii\u003c\/em\u003e 'Pep Talk Purple') is a bushy, upright perennial with large, vibrant blue-purple flowers and bright white centres from summer into autumn. It grows to about 70cm tall and 50 to 70cm wide. It is the cool, strong colour of the Pep Talk series, and one of the easiest ways to add a punch of purple to a sunny border.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStrong blue-purple colour.\u003c\/strong\u003e The large flowers are rich and vivid, with a white throat that makes each bloom stand out.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBushier than older penstemons.\u003c\/strong\u003e The Pep Talk series branches densely, so you get a full plant rather than a few lanky stems.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFeeds pollinators.\u003c\/strong\u003e Bees and butterflies are drawn to the nectar in the tubular flowers, from summer into autumn.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCold tolerant.\u003c\/strong\u003e It handles frost and cold winters, and its parent species holds the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFast and forgiving.\u003c\/strong\u003e It grows quickly with regular water and responds well to a tidy up of spent stems.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eColour in mixed beds.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 50cm apart in a drift. Blue-purple works well against yellow, orange or silver foliage, and the narrow leaves stay out of the way of neighbouring plants.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCottage and pollinator gardens.\u003c\/strong\u003e It sits well among roses, salvias and grasses, and gives bees a dependable nectar source in late summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLarge pots.\u003c\/strong\u003e A deep pot of free draining mix on a sunny patio keeps the plant compact and the colour close by.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Pep Talk Purple Hartweg's Beardtongue in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Choose a spot with sun or light shade. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean climates. The plant tolerates frost, but in very cold regions a sheltered spot or a wall helps. Leaves hang on through mild winters and fall in colder places.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Use a light soil with fast drainage, either acid or alkaline. Soggy ground causes root problems, so add coarse material or build a mound on clay.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Mulch after planting and water regularly through the first 12 weeks. Once the spring cut back is done, feed with slow release fertiliser and use seaweed in the summer heat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Deadhead through the season for a second flush. Each mid spring, cut hard back to the lowest shoots, since flowers appear on new growth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe sell Pep Talk Purple Hartweg's Beardtongue as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. Expect a young plant that is still bulking up, with flowers following once the weather warms. Plant it out soon after delivery, water it in and mulch around the base.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/perennial-plants-for-a-cottage-garden\"\u003ePerennial plants for a cottage garden\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/bee-and-butterfly-plants\"\u003ePlants that feed bees and butterflies\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pots\"\u003eMore plants for pots\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/frost-hardy-plants\"\u003eFrost hardy plants for cold gardens\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat does it look like when it is not in flower?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA bushy clump of slender green leaves. In mild climates it keeps its foliage over winter, and in colder ones the leaves drop until spring growth begins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhen is the best time to prune it?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMid spring, when you cut back to the low shoots. It flowers on new growth, so this timing does not cost you any blooms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I grow it with other perennials?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. It pairs well with grasses, salvias and silver leaved plants that share its liking for sun and free draining soil.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":67789620871487,"sku":"PEN-HAR-PEPTAL-tube","price":13.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/pep-talk-purple-hartweg-s-beardtongue-penstemon-hartwegii-pep-talk-purple.jpg?v=1792191280","url":"https:\/\/nurserynearme.com.au\/products\/pep-talk-purple-hartweg-s-beardtongue-penstemon-hartwegii-pep-talk-purple","provider":"Nursery Near Me","version":"1.0","type":"link"}