Foxglove Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)

from $8.00

Foxglove Beardtongue is one of the most versatile and "polite" natives you can add to a garden. A standout among native perennials, this plant features smooth, upright stems topped with clusters of white, trumpet-shaped flowers. It gets its name from its resemblance to the classic Foxglove, but unlike its namesake, it is much hardier and easier to grow.

Plant Profile

  • Sun Exposure Full Sun to Partial Shade

  • Water Needs Low to Medium; very adaptable

  • Soil Type Adaptable; Clay, Loam, Sand, or Rocky soil

  • Mature Height 3 – 4 feet

  • Deer Resistance High

  • Bloom Time June – July

  • Bloom Color‍ White ‍

  • Plant Spacing 12 – 18 inches

Plant Characteristics

  • Adaptable: It is very adaptable to light conditions and does well in areas such as clearings within forests, savannas and woods’ edges.

  • Tidy Habits: Foxglove Beardtongue is a well-behaved, clump-forming perennial that won't try to take over the yard.

  • Beardtongues: If you look closely inside a flower, you’ll see a tiny, hairy sterile stamen that looks like a "fuzzy tongue"—this is designed to help guide bees into the flower.

Wildlife Benefits

  • Hummingbirds: The white, tubular flowers are a primary early-season nectar source for Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.

  • Support for Specialist Bees: It provides vital pollen for several species of native bees that emerge just as the spring bulbs are finishing.

Size:

Foxglove Beardtongue is one of the most versatile and "polite" natives you can add to a garden. A standout among native perennials, this plant features smooth, upright stems topped with clusters of white, trumpet-shaped flowers. It gets its name from its resemblance to the classic Foxglove, but unlike its namesake, it is much hardier and easier to grow.

Plant Profile

  • Sun Exposure Full Sun to Partial Shade

  • Water Needs Low to Medium; very adaptable

  • Soil Type Adaptable; Clay, Loam, Sand, or Rocky soil

  • Mature Height 3 – 4 feet

  • Deer Resistance High

  • Bloom Time June – July

  • Bloom Color‍ White ‍

  • Plant Spacing 12 – 18 inches

Plant Characteristics

  • Adaptable: It is very adaptable to light conditions and does well in areas such as clearings within forests, savannas and woods’ edges.

  • Tidy Habits: Foxglove Beardtongue is a well-behaved, clump-forming perennial that won't try to take over the yard.

  • Beardtongues: If you look closely inside a flower, you’ll see a tiny, hairy sterile stamen that looks like a "fuzzy tongue"—this is designed to help guide bees into the flower.

Wildlife Benefits

  • Hummingbirds: The white, tubular flowers are a primary early-season nectar source for Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.

  • Support for Specialist Bees: It provides vital pollen for several species of native bees that emerge just as the spring bulbs are finishing.