Eastern Beardtongue
Penstemon laevigatus
White to pale lavender spikes striped with purple lines that guide bumblebees inside. Semi-evergreen rosettes handle dry slopes with ease.
Typically 1 pint–1 gal · $9–$30 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
A reliable southeastern native beardtongue that thrives in dry to average soils, delivering late-spring white blooms and year-round basal foliage interest.
Eastern Beardtongue sends up tall spikes of white to pale lavender tubular flowers in late spring, each blossom striped with faint purple lines that guide bumblebees deep inside. Watch one bee working a spike and you'll understand why this genus is called 'beardtongue': the bee disappears into the flower, works the interior, and backs out dusted in pollen. It's one of the more satisfying pollinator plants to observe up close. The basal rosette of glossy green leaves is semi-evergreen, staying attractive through winter in milder climates. It does well in average to dry garden soils, making it a good choice for slopes and areas where watering is difficult. Plant it mid-border where the basal foliage shows through winter and the flower spikes rise above surrounding plants in May and June.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown eastern beardtongue propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Dry
- Mature size
- 1.5–3 ft · 12–18 in wide
- Bloom time
- May–June
- USDA zones
- 5–9
- Family
- Plantaginaceae
- Native range
- Southeastern North America. open woods, roadsides, and disturbed sites from Virginia south to Florida and west to Mississippi
Care notes for eastern beardtongue.
Plant in full sun to part shade in well-drained, average to dry soil. Excellent drainage is essential. Penstemon will decline in wet clay. Deadhead spent spikes promptly to encourage a second flush of bloom and prevent excessive self-seeding. The basal rosette is semi-evergreen; leave it in place through winter as it looks good and protects the crown. Divide every three to four years.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside eastern beardtongue.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
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Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.