Small's Beardtongue
Penstemon smallii
An Appalachian endemic with lavender-pink spring spikes that bumblebees work energetically. A garden-friendly rarity with a story.
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 rare southern Appalachian native with lavender-pink blooms and excellent bumblebee attraction, practically unknown in gardens despite its reliable performance.
Small's Beardtongue is an Appalachian endemic, found in the wild only in a narrow band of the southern mountains, but it adapts beautifully to garden conditions throughout the mid-Atlantic and Southeast. The lavender-pink tubular flowers, striped inside with white guidelines, bloom in late spring on upright stems rising from a neat basal rosette. Bumblebees are the primary pollinators and they work the spikes energetically. Named for botanist John Kunkel Small, this species is somewhat underused compared to more widely distributed penstemons, which makes it a genuinely interesting choice for gardeners who want plants with a story. It handles average to dry soils well and the semi-evergreen rosette is attractive through the mild season. A reliable performer with ornamental value beyond its bloom period.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown small's 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
- 1.5–2.5 ft · 12–18 in wide
- Bloom time
- May–June
- USDA zones
- 5–8
- Family
- Plantaginaceae
- Native range
- Southern Appalachians. rocky woods, roadsides, and stream banks primarily in North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina
Care notes for small's beardtongue.
Plant in full sun to part shade in well-drained, average to lean soil. Avoid heavy clay and consistently wet conditions. Deadhead spent spikes after bloom to prevent self-seeding and tidy the plant. The basal rosette is semi-evergreen in milder zones. leave in place through winter. Divide every three to four years in early spring to maintain vigor.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside small's 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
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
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’.