Foxglove Beardtongue, Penstemon digitalis Nutt. ex Sims, Native Minnesota Wildflower plant, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden, white Beardtongue, Tall Beardtongue, False Foxglove

	Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Prime Season
	Foxglove Beardtongue	Penstemon digitalis Nutt. ex Sims	Figwort (Scrophulariaceae)	Upland	Late Spring to Early Summer
Other names and notes	(Talus Slope Penstemon, White Beardtongue, Tall Beardtongue, False Foxglove). Beardtongues have 3/4 to 1" trumpet shape flowers with flaring lobes, five stamens and specifically the flower throat is open with a flat base. Flowers are in clusters atop the stem, which will have opposite, stalkless, coarsely toothed leaves. The Foxglove or White Beardtongue has white flowers sometimes with purple veining. Height is one to four feet. Penstemon is from the Greek pente, or "five," and stemon, refers to "stamen." Digitalis refers to the finger shape of the flower.




Above: Flowers of late June. Left: The leaf structure. Below: An extensive grouping on the Goldenrod Trail at the far east end of the Upland Garden.

Notes: Martha Crone noted planting this species several times, totaling 80 plants, in the fall of 1937 under the scientific name of P. laevigatus Ait. var. digitalis. However, by the time of her 1951 inventory of plants in the Garden, she did not list it, but she did list four other Penstemons, (two of which are also considered native in Minnesota): Large-flowered Beardtongue (P. grandiflorus) (native), Slender Beardtongue, (P. gracilis) (native), Western White Penstemon (P. confertus), and Blue Western Penstemon (P. caelestinus). The plant was again listed on the 1986 Garden Census. P. digitalis is reportedly native in three counties of Eastern Minnesota: Pine, Washington and Houston.

Return to -- Site Plan/Archive --or-- List of Common Plant Names -- or -- List of Scientific Names -- or --Home Page

References: Plant characteristics are generally from sources 15, 16, 30, 31, 33, W2 & W3. Distribution principally from W2 and also 31, 34 and W1. Planting history generally from 1, 4 & 4a. Other sources by specific reference. See Reference List for details.

020712