Digging deeperPlant Library

Description:

An interesting, architectural plant producing vertical russet-red flower spikes that mature to pink, in summer and fall; a short lived perennial that will re-seed; dead head to promote re-bloom; drought tolerant once established; excellent in containers

Ornamental Features

Red Feathers has masses of beautiful spikes of red tubular flowers with pink overtones rising above the foliage from early summer to early fall, which emerge from distinctive lavender flower buds, and which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its narrow leaves remain bluish-green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Red Feathers is an herbaceous perennial with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Self-Seeding

Red Feathers is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Red Feathers will grow to be only 4 inches tall at maturity extending to 14 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 8 inches. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 3 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to dry locations, and dislikes excessive moisture. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America.

Red Feathers is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.