Tip #9: Beardtongue (Penstemon spp.)
Beardtongue is an architectural North American perennial that bridges the transition from late spring into high summer with style. Featuring stiff, upright floral spires lined with trumpet-shaped blossoms, penstemons come in an array of dazzling colors, including scarlet, wine-red, purple, pink, and white. Native varieties like Penstemon barbatus (Scarlet Bugler) and popular garden cultivars like ‘Husker Red’ and ‘Dark Towers’ provide structure in perennial borders.
The flared lower lip of the penstemon blossom serves as a visual guide, while the deep, narrow throat matches the anatomy of a hummingbird’s bill. Penstemon flowers produce a steady, high-sugar nectar flow designed to attract efficient pollinators while excluding smaller insects that cannot navigate the deep floral chamber. Their rigid stems also withstand buffeting prairie winds, allowing hummingbirds to feed steadily even during gusty summer afternoons.
Plant beardtongue in full sun and lean, sharply draining soil with a neutral to alkaline pH. Penstemons thrive in gravelly or sandy ground and will struggle in overly rich, soggy soils, which cause the stems to flop and roots to decay. Avoid heavy applications of nitrogen fertilizers, as lean soil promotes sturdier stems and heavier flower production. Cut the main flower spikes back to the basal foliage clump once the primary bloom cycle concludes; this practice often prompts a rewarding secondary flush of flowers in late summer and keeps the foliage looking neat.
