Penstemon campanulatus Willd.

Horticultural & Botanical History

‘[Pentstemon atropurpureum is a] native of Mexico, lately introduced by Mr. Barclay.  It is a perennial, or rather half shrubby, growing about two feet in height, and producing its rich and beautiful flowers in the autumnal months.’  [LBC no.1429/1830].  Paxton’s and Johnson’s Dictionary list Penstemon atropurpureum and P. campanulatum separately, distinguished by flower colour, dark purple for the former and light purple or lilac purple for the latter.  Don distinguishes P. pulchellum as having a paler corolla [see Penstemon campanulatus f. pulchellus (Lindl.) Voss].  Don gives a date of introduction of 1825 for P. atropurpureum, 1827 for P. pulchellum and 1794 for P. campanulatum. 

‘Sent from Mexico to the rich collection at Woburn, whence the specimen here figured was communicated by Mr. Forbes in the autumn of 1839.  The plant is not of recent introduction to our gardens, for it was figured by Andrews in an early part of his Repository, though that plate represents a very narrow-leaved variety.  It is with that variety that Dr. Lindley’s Pentstemon pulchellus (Bot. Reg. t.1138) has the greatest affinity.  It is a very ornamental species, but, probably, rather tender.  At Woburn it is, we believe, cultivated in the greenhouse.’  [BM t.3884/1841].

History at Camden Park

Listed in all the published catalogues [H.177/1843].  Macarthur also ordered seed of Penstemon atropurpureum from Warner & Warner, Seedsmen and Florists, Cornhill, on 8th April 1846 [MP A2933-1 p.131], although this plant is not listed in The Gardener’s Chronicle advertisement of 12th April, 1845, referred to by Macarthur.  He ordered seeds of Penstemon roseum at the same time.  He also ordered seeds of Penstemon campanulatum from Hurst and McMullen, Seedsmen and Florists of London, on 8th April 1846 [MP A2933-1 p.132].  

Notes