# Broadbeard Beardtongue (*Penstemon angustifolius*)

The Broadbeard Beardtongue is a pretty flower with long, narrow leaves and bright blue or purple blooms. It loves to grow in sunny places and attracts butterflies and bees!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Broadbeard Beardtongue](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Penstemon_angustifolius.jpg&width=800)

Photo: NPS, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Penstemon_angustifolius.jpg)

## Appearance

The Broadbeard Beardtongue has slender stems with narrow, grass-like leaves. It boasts clusters of vibrant blue-purple to lavender, tubular flowers. A distinctive fuzzy 'beard' inside each bloom gives it its unique name and helps guide pollinators.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Lamiales
- **Family:** Plantaginaceae
- **Genus:** Penstemon

## Interesting facts

- Its scientific name, Penstemon, means 'five stamens'—even with one sterile!
- Some Native American tribes used this plant for traditional medicine.
- The 'beardtongue' is actually a sterile stamen, not a real tongue!
- The vibrant blue-purple color is a rare sight in many dry desert plants!

## Special abilities

- **Dry Soil Dynamo:** Broadbeard Beardtongue has special roots and leaves that help it survive long periods with very little water.
- **Bee Beacon:** Its bright, tubular flowers act like a landing strip for long-tongued bees, guiding them to sweet nectar.
- **Pollen Path:** The fuzzy 'beardtongue' inside its flower helps brush pollen onto visiting insects as they search for nectar.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 15-45 cm
- **Spread:** 15-30 cm
- **Flower Size:** 2-3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring - early summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen.
- **Pollinates:** Western Bumble Bee (*Bombus occidentalis*) — Long tongues ideal for tubular flowers.
- **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — May browse on leaves and stems.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch flowers in the wild to help them stay safe.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Broadbeard Beardtongue?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Broadbeard Beardtongue?

15-45 cm

### How wide does Broadbeard Beardtongue spread?

15-30 cm

### How big are the flowers on Broadbeard Beardtongue?

2-3 cm

### When does Broadbeard Beardtongue bloom?

Late spring - early summer

### Is Broadbeard Beardtongue edible?

No

### Is Broadbeard Beardtongue toxic?

None

### What is Broadbeard Beardtongue's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Chaco Culture National Historical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chaco-culture-national-historical-park) — New Mexico, US · National Park
- [Crow Canyon Archaeological District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/crow-canyon-archaeological-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District
- [Scotts Bluff National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/scotts-bluff-national-monument) — Nebraska, US · National Park

[View all places to see Broadbeard Beardtongue](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/broadbeard-beardtongue)

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Broadbeard Beardtongue: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/broadbeard-beardtongue)