A penstemon of some sort???

:)
Dee

I second penstemon.

Depending on the variety, not even hardy in zone 6 where I live. But very pretty and a hummer favorite. I would get it. I planted a purple variety next to a medium pink salvia gregii last year - what a combo!

Not a penstemon, it's a Cape Fuchsia or Phygelius hybrid. While not a true fuchsia, your garden center folks are partly right, as "cape fuchsia" is the common name of this plant. Native to South Africa, I'd be a little leery of its hardiness in your area - it's generally only considered fully perennial in zones 7 and above. This one looks like Phygelius 'Croftway's Coral Princess'. These plants are very popular and quite common in my area, being mostly evergreen, with a very long bloom season and quite drought tolerant as well - I grow several different cultivars in a range of colors. btw, hummingbirds love these plants!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:227488}}

Dee and A2zmom,
Thanks for the input, but I think Gardengal nailed it. I thought maybe penstemon also, but they hold their anthers tight to the top of the flower.

So I am the proud owner of two 'Croftway's Coral Princess'. I am concerned that it is a zone 7+ plant. I think there is a NEW zone map that puts me in 6, but I usually try to buy plants for 5. Zone 7 is going to die. Can these be brought in and raised as a houseplant during the winter or do they need to vernalize? At least I know what to look for so I can research it.

It is a great looking plant, and the flowers look like they have a sign over them that says "Hummingbirds eat here!!" Glad to hear Gardengal say hummers like them because that was my motivation for buying it. I opened a flower at the nursery and found it to have an abundant nectary.

Really appreciate the help!

Dave

I saw these growing at Longwood Gardens in PA and wish they carried them in our Zone 7 garden centers! Very nice.

These don't look like something that would overwinter well, unless in a dormant state. I'll see what I can find out at work today. In the alternative, try overwintering it in a protected, south-facing spot in your yard with a good layer of mulch - this usually is enough to push your zone up one notch.

Dave, you might have some luck growing these in good sized containers that can be brought in for winter protection. I am a bit skeptical of attempting to winter over temperate plants as houseplants - I think they'd do better if allowed to to go semidormant in an area that gets cold but not your normal freezing winter temps. A garage perhaps or cold basement?

Kinda makes you mad that a zone 5 garden center is selling these as a hardy perennial. Since these plants are relatively recent on a widespread commercial basis, there is a good possibility that their hardiness is greater than what has been stated - in many cases, it is just a matter of the plants not being grown widely so true hardiness is untested. But zone 5 is being a bit more optimistic than practical :-) If you have luck wintering these over, try dividing one next season (they are rather rhizomatous and should divide relatively easily) and planting in the ground to see how it does. You can be a test case for determining true hardiness!! Full sun in a sheltered location and with very good drainage. Good luck - they're great plants!!

Glad you found an ID. What a pretty plant! Good luck with overwintering, and let us know the results.

:)
Dee

I bought a cape fuchsia last year called 'Devil's Tears'. After reading, I decided to try to wintering it over in the ground even though the tag said zone 8. I divided mine and two large divisions survived that were on the east side of my house and surprisingly a very small division survived that didn't have any protection from my house. I had potted up some stems that had a little root attached and kept those inside over winter like a houseplant and those survived too. I moved them outside but haven't put them in the ground yet.

I don't know if they needed to go dormant but was thinking that cape fuchsia is evergreen in the south so maybe not. My plants that were in the ground eventually lost their leaves and died back. Mine weren't mulched since I never got around to that but we had a slightly warmer than normal winter. I don't think we had any nights that went below zero this year.