Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Midnight Masquerade Penstemon: A Dark Foil for Silver Lavender
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Midnight Masquerade penstemon is a tall beardtongue grown as much for its leaves as its flowers. The glossy, lance-shaped foliage is a deep burgundy purple, darkest where it catches direct sun, and it stays good all season. In early summer, strictly upright dark stems lift clusters of tubular flowers, rich violet purple outside with pure white flared throats, to 36 to 40 inches.
Midnight Masquerade at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Penstemon 'Midnight Masquerade' |
| Flowers | Violet purple with white throats, about 1 inch |
| Foliage | Deep burgundy purple, glossy; evergreen basal leaves |
| Size | 36 to 40 inches tall in bloom, 28 to 32 inches wide |
| Bloom | Early June, peaks mid-June, about four weeks |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 8 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Wildlife | Great for hummingbirds and bees; moderately deer resistant |
Dark leaves, silver leaves
Most companions are chosen for their flowers. Midnight Masquerade earns its place with foliage. Its burgundy-purple leaves make a dark foil that sets off lavender's gray-green foliage and violet spikes, and that contrast lasts from spring through fall, long after both have finished blooming. It shares lavender's need for sun and drainage and handles heat, humidity and hard winters, so it can live right in the bed.
Its tall, upright form suits the back of a lavender planting or a spot between lavender groups. It opens in early June, often a bit ahead of the lavender, so the violet-and-white flowers lead into the main lavender show. Arrange it in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting and care
- Planting: set the crown level with the soil surface, not buried.
- Soil: average and well drained. Avoid spots that stay wet, especially in winter, when crown rot is the risk.
- Sun: full sun keeps the leaves at their darkest.
- Water: regularly the first season, then sparingly. It is drought tolerant once established.
- After bloom: cut flower stems back to the foliage, or leave a few seed heads for winter interest.
Winter
Midnight Masquerade is very winter hardy. Its evergreen basal leaves persist through winter, adding a little dark color to the bed when the lavender is a gray mound. Keep the soil from staying soggy, and that is about all it needs.
Cut flowers for the house
The flower stems are rated good for cutting. Cut when the lower flowers have opened. Violet beardtongue and fresh lavender make an easy early summer arrangement in tones of purple.
Frequently asked questions
Is it a native plant?
It is a garden selection whose parent species is native to the humid eastern US, which is why it handles humid summers well.
Do hummingbirds visit penstemon?
Yes. The tubular flowers draw hummingbirds and bees, and its pollinator rating is great.
Plug tray or bare root?
The 72-cell plug tray suits growers and mass plantings; the bare root plant suits a home bed. See each product page for current availability.
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