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Foxglove Beardtongue

Penstemon digitalis

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Category
Forb / Wildflower
Sun
Full to Partial
Soil moisture
Medium to Medium-Dry
Bloom time
Jun–Jul
Bloom color
White

About Foxglove Beardtongue

Foxglove Beardtongue is a reliable and elegant workhorse of the native garden, loved for its tall spikes of pristine white flowers and exceptional adaptability. Reaching 3 to 5 feet in height, this perennial produces numerous tubular, foxglove-like blossoms in late spring and early summer that seem to glow in the sun. Its smooth, deep green foliage often turns attractive shades of burgundy in the fall, providing multi-season interest. Native to a wide area of the eastern and central United States, it is found in prairies, open woods, and fields. This species is a pollinator magnet, attracting everything from hummingbirds to specialized bees and butterflies. It is one of the easiest Penstemons to grow, as it tolerates a wide range of conditions, including clay soils and occasional drought, though it prefers full sun and medium-moisture sites. Whether used in a formal border or a wild meadow, Foxglove Beardtongue offers a dependable and beautiful source of nectar that supports a thriving backyard ecosystem.

Native range

Native to 36 states:

AlabamaArkansasConnecticutD.C.DelawareGeorgiaIowaIllinoisIndianaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMassachusettsMarylandMaineMichiganMinnesotaMissouriMississippiNorth CarolinaNebraskaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew YorkOhioOklahomaPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasVirginiaVermontWisconsinWest Virginia

County range map

BONAP county-level native range map for Penstemon digitalis

Range map courtesy of BONAP (Biota of North America Program).

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