# Foxglove Beardtongue (*penstemon digitalis*)

The Foxglove Beardtongue is a beautiful flowering plant that attracts bees and butterflies with its colorful blooms. It grows tall and has soft, fuzzy leaves that feel nice to touch!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Snaps:** 51
- **Habitat:** Foxglove Beardtongue typically grows in open woodlands, meadows, and along roadsides.
- **Also known as:** Digitalis Beardtongue

![Foxglove Beardtongue](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Penstemon_digitalis1.jpg&width=800)

Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Penstemon_digitalis1.jpg)

## Appearance

The Foxglove Beardtongue has tall, upright stems topped with clusters of bell-shaped, white to pale pink or lavender flowers. Its tubular blossoms feature two lips and often a fuzzy lower "beard," visually distinguishing them from true foxgloves.

## Taxonomy

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

## Interesting facts

- Despite its name, it's not a true foxglove, but a clever look-alike!
- Its "beard" is a sterile stamen, acting like a fuzzy guide for pollinating bees!
- Its seeds can hide for years, then sprout when conditions are right!
- These tough plants can survive harsh winters and bounce back year after year!

## Special abilities

- **Bee Landing Strip:** Its lower lip acts as a landing strip for long-tongued bees, guiding them to nectar for efficient pollination.
- **Nectar Protection:** Its fuzzy 'beard' helps keep out tiny ants that might steal nectar without pollinating the flower.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 60-120 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 2-3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen
- **Pollinates:** [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — Gathers nectar and pollen from tubular blossoms
- **Eats:** Arcigera Flower Moth (*Schinia arcigera*) — Larvae feed on its seeds and flowers

## Traits

- [Perennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/perennial): Perennial plants live for more than two years, typically returning to grow and bloom each year from their roots.
- [Herbaceous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbaceous): Herbaceous plants are non-woody plants with soft stems that typically die back to the ground at the end of the growing season.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

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

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Foxglove 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 Foxglove Beardtongue?

60-120 cm

### How wide does Foxglove Beardtongue spread?

30-60 cm

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

2-3 cm

### When does Foxglove Beardtongue bloom?

Late spring to early summer

### Is Foxglove Beardtongue edible?

No

### Is Foxglove Beardtongue toxic?

None

### What is Foxglove Beardtongue's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Albany Pine Bush](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/albany-pine-bush) — New York, US · Nature Reserve
- [Awbury Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/awbury-arboretum) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden
- [Boerner Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/boerner-botanical-gardens) — Wisconsin, US · Botanical Garden
- [Green Animals Topiary Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/green-animals-topiary-garden) — Rhode Island, US · Botanical Garden
- [Lilacia Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lilacia-park) — Illinois, US · Botanical Garden
- [Mill Creek Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mill-creek-park) — Ohio, US · Nature Reserve

[View all places to see Foxglove Beardtongue](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/foxglove-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: [Foxglove Beardtongue: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/foxglove-beardtongue)