Penstemon digitalis

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Penstemon digitalis

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Kemper Code: G590

Common Name: beard tongue
Zone: 3 to 8
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Missouri Native: Yes
Native Range: Eastern and southeastern United States
Height: 3 to 5 feet
Spread: 1.5 to 2 feet
Bloom Time: April - June Bloom Data
Bloom Color: White
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Medium

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Plant Culture and Characteristics

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Uses:		Wildlife:	Flowers:	Leaves:	Fruit:
Hedge	Suitable as annual	Attracts birds	Has showy flowers	Leaves colorful	Has showy fruit
Shade tree	Culinary herb	Attracts	Has fragrant flowers	Leaves fragrant	Fruit edible
Street tree	Vegetable	hummingbirds	Flowers not showy	Good fall color	Other:
Flowering tree	Water garden plant	Attracts	Good cut flower	Evergreen	Winter interest
Gr. cover (<1')	Will naturalize	butterflies	Good dried flower		Thorns or spines

General Culture:

Grow in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun. Avoid wet, poorly drained soils.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

This penstemon is a clump-forming, Missouri-native perennial which typically grows 3-5' tall and occurs in prairies, fields, wood margins, open woods and along railroad tracks. Features white, two-lipped, tubular flowers (to 1.25" long) borne in panicles atop erect, rigid stems. Flowers bloom mid-spring to early summer. Basal leaves are elliptic and stem leaves are lance-shaped to oblong. Penstemon in Greek means five stamens (four are fertile and one is sterile). Penstemon is sometimes commonly called beard tongue because the sterile stamen has a tuft of small hairs.

Problems:

No serious insect or disease problems. Root rot can occur in wet, poorly-drained soils. Leaf spots are occasional problems.

Uses:

Mass in sunny borders, wild gardens, native plant gardens or naturalized areas.

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