Need an ID for this new plant...

15 years ago

... which I either got from the spring CT plant swap, or I moved from the woods or the meadow inadvertntly, or it came up on its own... I know I didn't have it last year!

Can anyone ID it for me? It is quite tall -- probably 2.5-3 feet by now. I like it -- and assume the hummingbirds will, too, with those flowers -- but want to make sure it's something I want!

Thanks...

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Comments (6)

concretenprimroses
15 years ago
Looks like a penstemon. They are nice, and they do spread by seed pretty quickly. They are quite controllable here in NH, not sure about CT. I believe there are quite a few species native to the western states, but not sure if those are the ones sold as garden plants or not.
kathy
diggerdee zone 6 CT
15 years ago
I was going to say penstemon also. A few years ago I found one of these in my yard, and asked for an id here and was told penstemon digitalis. The funny thing was, I never bought or planted one!

So I have no idea where it came from. And since then, it really hasn't spread much or gotten much bigger. I was actually hoping it would!

:)
Dee
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ctlady_gw
Original Author
15 years ago
Sounds like penstemon is the winner ... I actually think I may have requested it one or two plant swaps ago but never saw anything labeled that (might have been a mystery plant in a bag -- there were a few of those!). I am thrilled -- it's lovely! I wonder if the hummingbirds will go to the white flowers (I'm sure the butterflies will).

Thanks to you both for a brilliant ID!
concretenprimroses
15 years ago
Its funny diggerdee, that yours isn't spreading. I have seedlings here and there. It may be native to more mountainous places and like my cooler weather. Or I may have a more prolific one.
kathy
casey1gw
15 years ago
I brought some to a couple of the Ct swaps. In my garden, they get fuller and I may get some seedlings but they're far from a problem.

Hedy
ctlady_gw
Original Author
15 years ago
Hedy ... I bet I got it from you (but I wonder at WHICH swap?!) I know for sure I didn't have this blooming last summer but I do vaguely remember saying I'd like some from someone, which I imagine was you!

That's one of the nicest things about the swaps ... if you lose the "tag" you can always post a picture and whoever brought it for you can remind you of what you have!

Thanks all ... I'm enjoying it greatly and hope it does spread a bit, though it will be competing with the monarda, which is going absolute gangbusters this spring, so it will have to elbow its way through the bed :)