Penstemon- Winter Care: How far to cut back foliage and should I cover with leaves? - Ask Extension
I am getting conflicting info on Penstemon. I have 2. One is "Red Riding Hood" and the other is the more traditional light purple variety....
Knowledgebase
Penstemon- Winter Care: How far to cut back foliage and should I cover with leaves? #889843
Asked November 14, 2024, 2:57 PM EST
I am getting conflicting info on Penstemon. I have 2. One is "Red Riding Hood" and the other is the more traditional light purple variety. I have cut back the dead flower stems. But, how far back should I cut the foliage? Also, should plants be covered on top with leaves for winter or should leaves be just around the base of the plant? Thank you!
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
They are listed as hardy in zone 5 and although some years we have zone 5 weather it isn’t a given and we are reliably zone 4. I would put about 6 inches of mulch on them after the ground freezes. Remove the mulch in the spring as soon as the ground thaws under the mulch. They can be cut off at any height this fall or not at all and cut off in the spring.
