Penstemon digitalis White Foxglove Beardtongue Seed & Plants
 Talus Slope Penstemon 
(PEN-steh-mon  dij-ih-TAL-iss)
Easyliving Native Perennial Wildflowers
Native Wild Flower Seed for Home Landscaping & Prairie Restoration

  We have Penstemon digitalis (Foxglove Beardtongue) potted plants available, $4.00 each plus UPS shipping
please contact us by email with your address for shipping costs on  potted plants

Native Penstemon digitalis foxglove beardtongue  wildflower seed germination is improved after a pretreatment of 4 to 6  weeks of cold moist stratification or when planted outside in the fall or early winter.

Foxglove Beard tongue is a gentle flower occurring naturally in meadows, prairies, borders of woods, and rich alluvial woodlands from Maine and Quebec to South Dakota, south to Alabama, Louisiana and Texas.  Scrophulariaceae (Snapdragon or figwort Family)

Uses

 All species provide diversity to the seeded plant community.

Erosion control/reclamation: All species are mentioned for their value in mixes for erosion control and beautification values.

 Wildlife: Penstemons are considered desirable forages for deer, antelope and birds either as herbage or seed.  They may also provide some cover for selected small bird species.  They provide diversity to the plant community.

 Description

Penstemons (Penstemon spp.) are perennial forbs, subshrubs to shrubs with attractive flowers.  Common to the western United States.  Except for one minor species, the genus Penstemon does not occur naturally outside of North America.  They are short to long-lived.  Penstemons have opposite, entire or toothed leaves.  They have several stalked flowers or flower clusters that are borne in the axils of the upper leaves or leaflike bracts.  The tubular flower is strongly to distinctly two-lipped at the mouth with a two-lobed upper lip and a three-lobbed lower lip.  There are 4 fertile stamens and a single sterile stamen that is often hairy at the tip.  The fruit is a many-seeded capsule.

 Adaptation and Distribution

Penstemons do best on well-drained soils.  Most ecotypes do well on infertile, disturbed soils.  They have excellent cold winter and drought tolerance.  They will tolerate weakly saline to weakly acidic sites.  They are usually found in open areas, but will tolerate semi-shaded conditions.  They are somewhat fire-resistant due to leaves staying green with relatively high moisture content during the fire season.

 Establishment

These species should be seeded with a drill or broadcast at a depth of 1/4 inch or less into a firm seedbed.  Ideal seeding depth is 1/8 inch. Penstemons are not recommended for single species seeding.  The full seeding rate (not recommended) for these forbs-shrubs is 1.5 to 3 pounds Pure Live Seed (PLS) per acre or 20 to 26 PLS seeds per square foot (varies somewhat by species).  When used as a component of a mix, adjust to percent of mix desired.  For mined lands and other harsh critical areas, doubling the seeding rate component of penstemon is not required.  The best seeding results are obtained from seeding in very early spring (because of grass component of mix) on heavy to medium textured soils and in late fall on medium to light textured soils.  Late summer (August - mid September) seeding is not recommended.  Dormant fall seedings (preferred seeding period for penstemons) will pre-chill seed and reduce seed dormancy which is very strong in some species.  Mulching, irrigation and weed control all benefit stand establishment.  Seedling vigor is good, but not as good as most grasses.  Germination may not occur until the second growing season. Flowering should not be expected until at least the second growing season.

 Management

Growth of penstemons begins in early spring and flowers appear in May through July depending on species.  Weed control and removal of very competitive species may improve chance of establishment.  Damage from wildlife and rodents may occur and they may need to be controlled.  Disease problems are minimal except under irrigation.  Under irrigation, fusarium wilt can be a problem.

 Pests and Potential Problems

Stands may require weed control measures during establishment.  Because penstemons are broad-leaved, use of 2,4-D is not recommended.  Mow weeds at or prior to their bloom stage.  New stands may also be damaged by grasshoppers and other insects and pesticides may be needed.

 Environmental Concerns

The map below shows areas where Penstemon digitalis foxglove beard tongue  grows wild. When planted it will grow over a much wider area than shown.  USDA plant hardiness zones 2 to 9. 

For other flowers visit the wildflower seed list , to order Penstemon digitalis foxglove beardtongue seed copy the order form or  email questions, comments, and orders to john

Please contact us by email with your address for shipping charges & availability on Penstemon digitalis foxglove beardtongue   potted plants

We accept payment by check, money order, and through Paypal

The minimum seed order amount is $10, this can be a combination of different seeds.

Home    wildflower seed list   potted plant list  wildflower book list 
  growing and propagating info   invasive plants list   flower photographs 
  your comments   order form   search form   table of contents  

Easyliving Wildflowers
PO Box  522
Willow Springs,  Mo.  65793
phone-fax 417-469-2611

Native Penstemon digitalis foxglove beardtongue plant distribution map complements of USDA, NRCS. 2001. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.1
  (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.