Margarita Penstemon BOP is a stunning and compact perennial noted for its tolerance of a wide range of garden conditions, living longer than other cultivars of this species. It originates from a chance hybrid at the back of the porch (BOP) of Bert Wilson, founder of Las Pilitas Nursery. Adding to this tidy plant’s popularity is its tolerance for heavy soils and summer watering, although it needs only occasional watering after becoming established. Happiest in well-drained soils under full sun, it needs water only once or twice a month. This small, shrub-like perennial forms a tufted mound of stems with linear leaves that tend to turn from green to maroon in late summer and fall. Prized for its disease resistance, garden tolerance, and long, profuse bloom season, it is also remarkably rabbit-resistant. Margarita Penstemon is perfect for rock gardens, the sunny foreground of mixed borders, dry slopes, and containers. Besides its stunning display in the garden, its cut flowers hold up nicely in arrangements.
