PlantsFlowers

Foxglove Beardtongue

Foxglove Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)
Cbaile19 · CC0
Foxglove Beardtongue in flower
In flower · (c) Tom Norton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY

Penstemon digitalis

Chicago-region native. Suited to zone 6a.

Early-season pollinator flower Fits Pollinator Gardens, Native Plant Gardens, Cottage Gardens and Container Gardens.

Pollinator GardensNative Plant GardensCottage GardensContainer GardensEasyFlowers
Light
Full sun–part shade
Moisture
Medium
Mature size
2–4 ft
Spacing
18–30 in
Bloom or harvest
Flowers May–Jun
How it spreads
Clumping / self-seeding
What to buy
Plug or division for reliable residential establishment; seed for larger restoration areas.
When to plant
Apr–May; late Aug–Sep, finishing about six weeks before the first frost.

In the design

Leave some stems and seedheads through winter; divide or thin only when needed.

Plants that share this spot

More in this group

Reference details
Conservatism value
4
Wetland indicator
FAC