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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