Foxglove Beardtongue

Foxglove Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)

Hello there, I’m the Foxglove Beardtongue, also known as Penstemon digitalis. I’m native to North America, and I flourish in sunny meadows, prairies, and open woodlands. My name comes from my resemblance to foxgloves and the hairy “tongue” inside my flowers—nature has a quirky sense of humour!

With my tall, elegant stems and clusters of tubular, white flowers, I stand out as a favourite among pollinators. While I’m in bloom, from early spring until the summer, my most frequent visitors are the long-tongued bees. But short-tongued bees have their own clever trick, they’ll nibble a tiny hole at the back of my flowers to get to the nectar. If you are lucky you might even spot a hummingbird stopping by for a quick sip.

I grow to be 2-5 feet tall, so you might want to avoid planting me along the border of your garden. Some of my best qualities are my tolerance to drought, compaction, salt, and deer. I really am the whole package!