# Small-Flower Beardtongue (*penstemon procerus*)

The Small-Flower Beardtongue is a beautiful plant with tiny, colorful flowers that attract bees and butterflies! It grows in sunny places and adds splashes of color to gardens and wild areas.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Dry, rocky areas and open fields with plenty of sunlight.
- **Also known as:** Wildflower

![Small-Flower Beardtongue](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Penstemon_procerus_5690.JPG&width=800)

Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Penstemon_procerus_5690.JPG)

## Appearance

The Small-Flower Beardtongue has slender stems topped with clusters of tiny, tubular flowers, typically vibrant blue, purple, or sometimes pink. Each delicate bloom measures less than two centimeters, forming dense spikes that make it distinct from other beardtongues with larger flowers.

## Taxonomy

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

## Interesting facts

- It thrives in tough, rocky mountain soils where many other plants struggle to grow!
- Its bright blooms can carpet entire high-altitude meadows with a sea of purple and blue!
- Some Native American tribes used this plant for traditional medicinal purposes, like treating coughs.
- The 'beardtongue' name comes from a fuzzy, sterile stamen resembling a tiny tongue inside each flower.

## Special abilities

- **Resilience Root:** Small-Flower Beardtongue has tough roots that can survive harsh winters and dry spells, helping it regrow year after year.
- **Pollinator Beacon:** Its small, brightly colored flowers clustered on tall stalks act as a clear signal, efficiently attracting tiny bees and hoverflies.
- **Survival Seeds:** This plant produces many tiny seeds that can lie dormant for years, waiting for the perfect conditions to sprout and grow.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-50 cm
- **Spread:** 15-30 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.8-1.5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to mid-summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Two-Form Bumblebee (*Bombus bifarius*) — Collects nectar and pollen from its tubular flowers
- **Pollinates:** [Black-chinned Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-chinned-hummingbird) (*Archilochus alexandri*) — Sips nectar, aiding in pollen transfer between plants
- **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Browses on the leaves and stems, especially new growth
- **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar, contributing to reproduction

## Traits

- [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.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
- [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 Small-Flower 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 Small-Flower Beardtongue?

10-50 cm

### How wide does Small-Flower Beardtongue spread?

15-30 cm

### How big are the flowers on Small-Flower Beardtongue?

0.8-1.5 cm

### When does Small-Flower Beardtongue bloom?

Late spring to mid-summer

### Is Small-Flower Beardtongue edible?

No

### Is Small-Flower Beardtongue toxic?

None

### What is Small-Flower Beardtongue's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Tantalus Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tantalus-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park
- [Butte-Anaconda Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/butte-anaconda-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District
- [Cathedral Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cathedral-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park

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