Wednesday, July 02, 2014

Wordless Wednesday 138: Beard-Tongue

This week I'm featuring Beard-Tongue. There are three species growing at the UW-Madison Arboretum, one more prolific than the others. All three prefer dry, sandy prairies -- though the "tall" variety can be found in dry to medium conditions -- and seem to prefer full sun. They are native to North America and East Asia, and had early medicinal uses.


The Large-Flowered Beard-Tongue (Penstemon grandiflorus) has large, showy lavender or bluish blossoms from which it takes its name. They are the largest flowers of beard-tongue and stand 12-40 inches tall, blooming early June to early July -- provided the deer don't get to them.







Slender Beard-Tongue (Penstemon gracilis) is usually first to bloom, flowering late May into July. It has lavender blossoms, and is only about two feet tall.






Tall Beard-Tongue (Penstemon digitalis) is the most prolific of the three species. It is also sometimes refered to as "False Foxglove." These white flowers typically bloom from mid-June to mid-July, and stand 1-4 feet tall. It is currently growing rampant on Greene Prairie at Grady Tract/UW Arboretum, as well as along the nearby Cannonball Bike Path.






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9 comments:

Leovi said...

Stunning photos! delicious flowers!

cindi914 said...

Oh so beautiful!

Beth F said...

I'll have to look for these on my next walk in the woods.

colleen said...

Okay, #3 shows me why they call it tongue. The color is fabulous.

Heather said...

Leovi: Thank you! I look forward to seeing these every year.

Cindi914: Thank you! ☺

Heather said...

Beth F: You'll have better luck looking for them on prairies, or along roadsides with dry, sunny conditions.

Colleen: Thank you, isn't that gorgeous? And could you PLEASE check your spam/junk folder? I've been trying to post since last Thursday and nothing is getting through. Could not find contact info on your blog. Thanks!

CountryDew said...

Lovely shots!

Jana said...

Odd name for such a pretty flower. haha

Great shots. So pretty.

Heather said...

It is a weird name. Which is why I rather prefer the Latin name of "penstemon" for these. :-D