Editing Penstemon (section)

==Horticulture==
Although penstemons are native to the Americas, Europe has traditionally been far more active in their hybridization with hundreds of hybrids developed since the early 19th century. The first offer of seeds for sale as by John Fraser in 1813.{{sfn|Way|James|1998|p=18}} The earliest development is somewhat shrouded in mystery; for instance Flanagan & Nutting's 1835 catalog mentions a 'Penstemon Hybridum' but does not describe it.{{sfn|Way|James|1998|p=20}}

By 1860, a half-dozen French growers are known to have developed hybrids, most notably [[Victor Lemoine]], while in 1857 the German [[Wilhelm Pfitzer]] listed 24 varieties. In 1861 the British [[Royal Horticultural Society]] held trials in which 78 varieties were entered. The Scottish firm of John Forbes first offered penstemons in 1870, eventually becoming the biggest grower in the world; in 1884 their catalog listed 180 varieties. By 1900 Forbes had offered 550 varieties, while Lemoine had developed nearly 470 by the time of his death in 1911. Few of these have survived to the present day.{{sfn|Way|James|1998|p=22–24}}

A number of different species have been used in the hybridization process, notably ''[[Penstemon cobaea]]'' and ''[[Penstemon hartwegii]]''.{{sfn|Way|James|1998|p=20,22,24}}

The American Penstemon Society was formed in 1946 to promote both horticultural and botanical interest, and is now the [[International Cultivar Registration Authority]] for the genus.{{sfn|Way|James|1998|p=153}}

In North America, penstemons are often used in [[xeriscape]] gardening, as many are native to desert or alpine regions and quite hardy.{{sfn|Wolfe Lab 2023}}

===Cultivars===
The following species and cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's [[Award of Garden Merit]]:-<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf | title = AGM Plants - Ornamental | date = July 2017 | page = 75 | publisher = Royal Horticultural Society | access-date = 2018-04-22}}</ref> 
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
<!-- AGM withdrawn* 'Alice Hindley'<ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=1398 |title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Alice Hindley' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=2012-08-04}}</ref>-->
* 'Andenken an Friedrich Hahn'<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/46091/Penstemon-Andenken-an-Friedrich-Hahn/Details |title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Andenken an Friedrich Hahn' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=27 January 2021}}</ref> (deep red)
<!-- AGM withdrawn* 'Apple Blossom'<ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=1400 |title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Apple Blossom' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=2012-08-04}}</ref>-->
* 'Beech Park'<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/53326/Penstemon-Beech-Park/Details|title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Beech Park' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=27 January 2021}}</ref> (pink/white)
<!-- AGM withdrawn* 'Catherine de la Mare'<ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=4983 |title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon heterophyllus 'Catherine de la Mare' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=2012-08-04}}</ref>
* 'Cherry'<ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=3772 |title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Cherry' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=2012-08-04}}</ref>
* 'Chester Scarlet'<ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=3773 |title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Chester Scarlet' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=2012-08-04}}</ref>-->
* 'Connie's Pink'<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/111627/Penstemon-Connie-s-Pink/Details |title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Connie's Pink' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=27 January 2021}}</ref> (rose pink)
* 'Evelyn'<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/97126/Penstemon-Evelyn/Details|title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Evelyn' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=27 January 2021}}</ref> (rose pink)
* 'George Home'<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/84025/Penstemon-George-Home/Details |title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'George Home' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=27 January 2021}}</ref> (red/white)
* 'Hewell Pink Bedder'<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/57085/Penstemon-Hewell-Pink-Bedder/Details |title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Hewell Pink Bedder' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=27 January 2021}}</ref> (pink/white)
* '[[Hidcote Manor Garden|Hidcote]] Pink'<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/42268/Penstemon-Hidcote-Pink/Details |title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Hidcote Pink' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=27 January 2021}}</ref>
* '[[Margery Fish]]'<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/72813/Penstemon-Margery-Fish/Details |title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Margery Fish' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=27 January 2021}}</ref> (purple/blue)
* 'Maurice Gibbs'<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/109585/Penstemon-Maurice-Gibbs/Details |title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Maurice Gibbs' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=27 January 2021}}</ref> (purple-red/white)
* 'Osprey'<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/83799/Penstemon-Osprey-(Bird-Series)/Details| title = RHS Plantfinder - ''Penstemon'' 'Osprey' (Bird Series) | access-date = 27 January 2021}}</ref> (pink/white)
* ''P. hartwegii''<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/66754/i-Penstemon-hartwegii-i/Details
| title = RHS Plantfinder - ''Penstemon hartwegii'' | access-date = 2018-04-22}}</ref> (scarlet)
* ''P. isophyllus''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/12465/Penstemon-isophyllus/Details |title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon isophyllus AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=28 January 2021}}</ref> (pale pink)
* ''P. pinifolius'' 'Wisley Flame'<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/93160/i-Penstemon-pinifolius-i-Wisley-Flame/Details
| title = RHS Plantfinder - ''Penstemon pinifolius'' 'Wisley Flame' | access-date = 2018-04-22}}</ref> (orange-red)
* ''P. rupicola''<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/12477/i-Penstemon-rupicola-i/Details
| title = RHS Plantfinder - ''Penstemon rupicola'' | access-date = 2018-04-22}}</ref> (pink)
<!-- AGM withdrawn* 'Pennington Gem'<ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=3782 |title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Pennington Gem' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=2012-08-04}}</ref>-->
* 'Port Wine'<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/91495/Penstemon-Port-Wine/Details|title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Port Wine' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=28 January 2021}}</ref> (deep red/white)
* 'Raven'<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/61638/Penstemon-Raven-(Bird-Series)/Details |title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Raven' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=28 January 2021}}</ref> (purple/white)
* 'Rich Ruby'<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/80875/i-Penstemon-i-Rich-Ruby/Details | title = RHS Plantfinder - ''Penstemon'' 'Rich Ruby' | access-date = 2018-04-22}}</ref> 
* 'Roy Davidson'<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/120167/Penstemon-procerus-Roy-Davidson/Details |title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon procerus 'Roy Davidson' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=30 January 2021}}</ref> (pink/white)
* 'Rubicundus'<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/49363/Penstemon-Rubicundus/Details|title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Rubicundus' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=30 January 2021}}</ref> (red/white)
* 'Schoenholzeri'<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/67036/Penstemon-Schoenholzeri/Details|title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Schoenholzeri' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=30 January 2021}}</ref> (red)
* 'Sour Grapes'<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/89778/Penstemon-Sour-Grapes-M-Fish/Details|title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Sour Grapes' M. Fish AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=30 January 2021}}</ref> (purple/blue)
* 'Stapleford Gem'<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/95191/Penstemon-Stapleford-Gem/Details |title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'Stapleford Gem' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=30 January 2021}}</ref> (purple/blue)
<!-- AGM withdrawn* 'White Bedder'<ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=1408 |title=RHS Plant Selector Penstemon 'White Bedder' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |access-date=2012-08-04}}</ref>-->
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Others include 'Dark Towers', developed by Dale Lindgren at the [[University of Nebraska]].<ref>[http://www.waltersgardens.com/plants/General-Perennial/1942_PenstemonDark-TowersPP20013.aspx Walters Gardens. Penstemon 'Dark Towers' PP20013]</ref>