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Penstemon Raven (Bird Series)

Beard Tongue

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£6.99

Size:

9cm pot 2 Litre pot

Code: 35785

Availability: 44 item(s)

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At a Glance

Variety: Penstemon
Size: 9cm pot
Mature Height (?):

What does this mean?

Mature Height

You can expect the height to reach somewhere within this estimate. It is given as a guide but can vary dependant on several factors such as soil quality and position.

For Conifers and Trees this may be the height in 10-20 years, eventually the plant may exceed this height.

1.0m
Mature Spread (?):

What does this mean?

Mature Spread

You can expect the plant to spread somewhere within this range estimate. It is given as a guide but can vary dependant on several factors such as soil quality and position.

For Conifers and Trees this may be the spread in 10-20 years, eventually the plant may exceed this.

30cm
Flower Colour (?):

What does this mean?

Flower Colour

Flowers come in a vast variety of colours from pure white to almost black. Colour can be affected by a number of factors including environment and diet. Use the photographs as a guide and expect variations.

Creamy/White, Pink
Flowering Time (?):

What does this mean?

Flowering Time

A plants development is synchronised with the changing seasons and flowering is one of several changes that occur at the appropriate time of year dependent on the specific plant. While our meteorological seasons are defined by specific dates; there can be two or the weeks difference in the start and end of the horticultural 'season' between the north and south of the UK.

Summer - Autumn
Foliage (?):

What does this mean?

Evergreen

Plants that have leaves all year round are classified as evergreen. They can however lose leaves sporadically throughout the year.

Deciduous

Deciduous plants drop their leaves in autumn, look bare in winter and put out new leaves again in spring. Some plants such a Beech retain their dead leaves until the new spring growth.

Semi-evergreen

There are exceptions, some plant drop their leaves in cold winters but keep them if it is mild. These are classified as Semi-evergreen.

Semi-evergreen
Fragrant (?):

What does this mean?
Fragrant
For plants that are fragrant the level of fragrance may vary, results may improve by planting in larger blocks. The fragrance may come from flowers or foliage.

No
Growth Rate (?):

What does this mean?

Growth rate of a plant will determine how fast the plant reaches it ultimate height and is affected by four main factors: temperature, nutrients, light, and water.

Average
Hardiness (?):

What does this mean?

Fully Hardy

Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (to -15)

Half Hardy

Hardy throughout most of the UK (to -10)

Frost Hardy

Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of UK (to -5)

Frost Hardy
Position (?):

What does this mean?

Full Sun

Six or more full hours of direct sunlight but don't forget to water.

Partial Shade

Two or three hours either in early morning or late evening sun. Very limited exposure to midday sun.

Dense Shade

Usually no more than two hours direct sunlight. Usually under dense trees, shurbs or in shade cast by buildings/fences etc.

Full sun, Partial shade
Soil Moisture (?):

What does this mean?

Well Drained

Well-drained soil allows water to percolate through reasonably quickly without pooling. Well drained soil can often be dry and lack nutrients.

Poorly Drained

Poorly Drained soil is usually saturated periodically during the growing season and remains wet for several days at a time. Saturated soil can deprive roots of oxygen.

Moist Well Drained

A moist well drained soil is the best of both worlds by combining high permeability with the ability to retain moisture. Adding well rotted organic matter to dry or wet soil will help improve both these characteristics.

Well-drained
Soil PH (?):

What does this mean?

Acid

Soil with a pH between 1 and 7 is classed as acid, ericaceous plants such as Rhododendrons need acid soil.

Neutral

A neutral pH which is around 7, will be suitable for most plants. Clay soils tend to be neutral.

Alkaline

Soil with a pH between 7 and 14 are refereed to as Alkaline. Chalky soil is usually Alkaline.

Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type (?):

What does this mean?

Chalk

Chalky or lime-rich soils may be light or heavy, largely made up of calcium carbonate and are very alkaline.

Clay

Clay soils are potentially fertile and hold a high proportion of water. They drain slowly and take longer to warm up in spring.

Loam

Loam soils are s mixture of clay, sand and silt that avoid the extremes of clay or sandy soils. Fertile, well-drained and easily worked.

Sand

Sandy soils have a low clay content, drain quickly, easy to cultivate and work. They can dry out quickly and are low in plant nutrients. Often very acidic.

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Penstemon ‘Raven’ (Bird Series)

Penstemon ‘Raven’, part of the popular Bird Series, is a striking perennial valued for its deep, velvety purple flowers with contrasting white throats. Flowering for months from early summer into autumn, it’s perfect for adding reliable colour and vertical interest to borders and containers. With its semi-evergreen foliage and upright habit, ‘Raven’ is also loved by bees and makes a fine companion to other cottage garden favourites.

Key Features

Botanical name: Penstemon ‘Raven’
Common name: Beard tongue ‘Raven’
Plant type: Semi-evergreen perennial
Height: 1m (3ft)
Spread: 0.3m (1ft)
Deep purple, bell-shaped flowers with white-striped throats
Long flowering period Summer
Attracts bees and other pollinators
Upright, bushy growth – ideal for middle or back of borders
Simple to maintain: Deadhead after flowering to maintain vigour. Then cut back to base in early spring
Hardy: H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)

Growth & Habit

‘Raven’ forms an upright clump with strong stems and narrow, semi-evergreen leaves. From early summer, the plant is topped with spires of tubular flowers in a rich, almost black-purple shade – a real standout in any border. Its medium height makes it versatile, working well in both mixed borders and large containers.

Planting Advice

Position: Full sun is ideal, although it will tolerate light shade.
Potted: grown in pots can be planted at any time of the year providing the ground is not frozen or waterlogged
Soil: Prefers fertile, well-drained soil. Avoid heavy clay or waterlogged ground, especially in winter.
Planting Depth: Plant with the crown just at soil level. Water in well after planting.
Spacing: Allow 45–60 cm between plants to give them room to bush out.

Spring is the best time to plant, allowing roots to establish before flowering begins.

Care & Maintenance

Penstemon ‘Raven’ is easy to care for with a few simple tasks. Keep soil moderately moist during dry spells in its first year, then water only when conditions are very dry. Feeding with a balanced liquid fertiliser in spring can help encourage flowering.

In colder parts of the UK, mulch around the base of the plant in late autumn to protect the roots from frost. In very exposed or wet gardens, consider lifting and overwintering in pots under cover.

Uses in the Garden

Excellent in mixed borders, cottage gardens, and pollinator-friendly plantings
Works beautifully with ornamental grasses, echinacea, salvia, and rudbeckia
Suitable for large containers in sunny, sheltered spots
Provides long-lasting summer colour with minimal effort
Ideal for cut flowers, with strong stems and showy blooms

With its luxurious colour, generous flowering season and easy-going nature, Penstemon ‘Raven’ is a garden favourite for good reason. Whether you're filling a sunny border, creating a pollinator patch, or simply adding some drama to your planting scheme, this elegant perennial offers months of beauty with very little maintenance.

Perennial Notes
Perennial Guide & Care
Alternatives
Companions
Reviews

Buying Perennials from Jacksons Nurseries

At Jacksons Nurseries we lightly trim back our perennials after flowering and trim them back at the end of the season to ensure that the plants remain neat and tidy whilst in the pot. The more tender the plant the less we cut back to help protect exposed stems from winter frost. Depending on the plant variety we will then prune back further in spring once the risk of the more severe frosts is over.

As a result, depending on the time of year you buy perennials, they may not look like images showing their ‘prime time’ in flower and looking at their best.

From late autumn onwards and dependent on variety, there may be very little visible above the soil except for a few cut back dormant leaves or stems. It is perfectly normal for dormant plants to look like this from autumn onwards, they will however burst back into life in spring.

Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.

Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email sales@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.

Perennials are described and classified differently by different gardeners but all would agree that they are plants that come into flower every year from early spring to late summer, the exact time dependent on variety and most die back to ground level in autumn and winter.

As for all plants, soil preparation is time well spent. Dig over the area to be planted ensuring that the ground is free draining. If not then you may wish to either consider planting in a different spot or raising the level of the planting area by adding additional topsoil, well rotted garden compost and/or well rotted manure. Add ‘Fish, Blood and Bone’ fertiliser or a high potash fertiliser to encourage good root growth and development.

It’s always a good idea to plant a few of the same plant together, we recommend planting in 3’s or 5’s to provide a bold effect but allowing them plenty of room to develop.

Always check eventual plant heights when planning borders to ensure that the taller plants are at the back (or at the centre of an island bed) followed by the medium and then smaller low growing plants.

Remember to deadhead perennials after flowering, trim back lightly in autumn as required to tidy the border and if necessary trim again in spring once the risk of heavy frost has passed.

If perennials get too big, start to flower less and less or if it seems to be dying off from the centre, consider dividing the plant but always check that the particular variety is happy to be divided and that you divide at the right time of year for the plant.

By using this simple guide and a little time, perennials can make an absolutely spectacular difference to your garden.