Plant Preference/Growing Conditions:

Foxglove beardtongue is best grown in full sun and in medium-moist to dry, well-drained soils with moderate fertility. They prefer soils with acidic pH but can tolerate alkaline or neutral soils. 

Growth Habit/Description:

Bushy clump-forming perennial with strong erect stems after flowering and shiny leaves that grow up to 6" long by 2 1/2" wide, oval shaped with smooth leaf margins on the upper surfaces and light green below at its base. Once it begins to form flowers, the leaves grow opposite one another at the stem, lance-shaped with small teeth on its margins. Its stems can grow from 3ft. to up to 5ft. tall. The basal foliage is especially red in spring. Stems terminate in loose cluster of tubular white flowers, borne in groups of two. Flowers precede dry capsules of filled gray and angled irregularly small seeds.  Colonizes quickly and can become aggressive in some landscapes. 

Bloom Season:

Cluster of white flowers bloom at the top of each flowering stem blooming between May and July. 

Fall and/or Winter Interest?

No. 

Host Plant for Caterpillars?

Yes.  Foxglove beardtongue is a host plant for the Chalcedon Checkerspot (Euphydryas chalcedona) and the Edith's Checkerspot (Euphydryas editha).

Other Known Ecological Value?

Yes.  The flowers of the Foxglove beardtongue attracts birds, hummingbirds, butterflies, moths, honeybees, bumblebees, Leafcutting bees, Miner bees, and Mason bees. Freshly emerged foliage can be browsed by deer and rabbits. 

Origin of Name:  The genus name Penstemon, is from Greek words translating to "five stamens." The epithet refers to the foxglove-like flowers of the genus Digitalis. 

Related Plant Species:  Foxglove Beardtongue has four other white-blooming beardtongues occuring in Arkansas: Arkansas beardtongue (Penstemon arkansanus),nodding beardtongue (Penstemon laxiflorus), pale beardtongue (Penstemon pallidus), and white wand beardtongue (Penstemon tubaeflorus). A complete list of beardtongues can be found in this link. 

Use For Food/Medicine:

No. 

Budburst. Penstemon digitalis [Cited 2023, Sept 9]. Available from: https://budburst.org/plants/121#:~:text=Before%20flowering%2C%20foxglove%20beardtongue%20leaves,small%20teeth%20on%20the%20margins.

Gardenia. Penstemon digitalis(Foxglove Beardtongue) [Cited 2023, Sept 9]. Available from: 

https://www.gardenia.net/plant/penstemon-digitalis#:~:text=Best%20grown%20in%20full%20sun,conditions%20and%20needs%20excellent%20drainage. 

Keystone Wildflowers. Penstemon digitalis [Cited 2023, Sept 9]. Available from:

https://www.keystonewildflowers.com/product/penstemon-digitalis/#:~:text=Foxglove%20Beardtongue's%20attractive%20white%20blooms,Chalcedon%20Checkerspot%20and%20Edith's%20Checkerspot.

Gettliffe, Cy. Clemson University: College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences. Penstemon digitalis: Foxglove Beardtongue [Cited 2023, Sept 9]. Available from: https://www.clemson.edu/cafls/demo/plant_profiles/penstemon-digitalis-foxglove beardtongue.html#:~:text=Features%3A%20The%20flowers%20of%20this,for%20a%20rain%20garden12. 

North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Penstemon digitalis [Cited 2023, Sept 9]. Available from:

 https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/penstemon-digitalis/ 

Arkansas Native Plant Society. Know Your Natives - Foxglove Beardtongue [Cited 2023, Sept 9]. Available from:

https://anps.org/2018/06/12/know-your-natives-foxglove-beardtongue/ 

Mahr, Susan. University of Wisconsin-Madison: Division of Extension: Wisconsin Horiculture. ‘Husker Red‘ Foxglove Beardtongue, Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ [Cited 2023, Sept 2023]. Available from: 

https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/husker-red-foxglove-beardtongue-penstemon-digitalis-husker-red/ 

Foster, Joe. GrowIt BuildIT. Foxglove Beardtongue 101 – Guide to Penstemon Digitalis [Cited 2023, Sept 9]. Available from: 

https://growitbuildit.com/foxglove-beardtongue-guide-penstemon-digitalis/ 

Midwest Groundcovers, LLC. Foxglove Beardtongue [Cited 2023, Sept 9]. Available from: 

https://www.midwestgroundcovers.com/plant/foxglove-beardtongue/

Last edited by Alice Dong, September 2023.