Midnight Masquerade is a taller beardtongue, 36 to 40 inches in bloom, grown as much for its deep burgundy-purple foliage as for its flowers. The leaf color is darkest in full sun and stays good all season.
In early summer, dark stems lift purple flowers with bright white interiors just above the leaves. The plant is full and neat, with strong color and reliable flowering. It handles heat, humidity and hard winters, is drought tolerant once settled, and draws hummingbirds and bees.
What it looks like
Tall, dark purple stems carry clusters of tubular flowers about an inch long, rich violet-purple on the outside with pure white, flared throats. The leaves are lance-shaped, glossy and deep burgundy-purple, darkest where they catch direct sun, forming a sturdy basal clump with smaller leaves up the stems. The plant grows about 36 to 40 inches tall in bloom and 28 to 32 inches wide. At peak bloom purple-and-white flowers float on dark stems just above the dark foliage.
Growing it with lavender
Midnight Masquerade shares lavender's need for sun and drainage, and its burgundy-purple leaves make a dark foil that sets off lavender's gray-green foliage and violet spikes.
Care
Grow in full sun in average, well-drained soil, setting the crown level with the soil; avoid spots that stay wet, especially in winter. Hardy in zones 3-8 and drought tolerant once established. Cut flower stems back to the foliage after bloom to keep the dark leaves as the main feature.
At a glance
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Botanical name: Penstemon
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Flower color: Violet purple with white interiors
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Foliage: Deep burgundy purple
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Growth habit: Sturdy upright clump
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Mature size: 36–40 in tall × 28–32 in wide
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USDA hardiness zones: 3–8
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Light: full sun
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Bloom start: Early-June
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Peak bloom: Mid-June
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Bloom pattern: Single Flush
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Deer resistance: Moderately resistant
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Pollinator value: Great
Sizes and shipping
Dormant bare-root plant, sold in boxes of 25 per variety (order in multiples of 25). Bare-root plants ship or are picked up March 1–May 31 only. They are soil-free, so they may ship to every state in that window. Dormant plants often show little or no top growth on arrival; plant or heel them in promptly.
Lavender companion · grow guide
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