Beardtongue | Penstemon
Penstemon
Leaf
The leaves have a lance shape.
Leaf
Gulf Coast Pentstemon is a perennial herb of the Plantaginaceae Family (plantain family), mostly native to North America. Also called Beardtongue, they thrive in a well-drained soil and are good plants for a flower border. This Pentstemon produces flowers in the early spring, on 1-2 foot slender stems, at the same time the irises bloom. My pentstemon is planted along the upper edge of a retaining wall. It is at eye level so it's fragile pastel pink/lavender flowers won’t go unnoticed by anyone strolling through the garden. It throws seeds into the walkway and these propagate readily but are not invasive.
Flowers
partly tube-shaped, and two-lipped The most distinctive feature of the genus is the prominent staminode, an infertile stamen. The staminode takes a variety of forms in the different species; while typically a long straight filament extending to the mouth of the corolla, some are longer and extremely hairy, giving the general appearance of an open mouth with a fuzzy tongue protruding and inspiring the common name beardtongue.
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| Dark Towers Penstemon, Penstemon 'Dark Towers' Plant Patent #20,013. is an unpretentious perennial with crimson foliage and adds depth and interest to a border garden. I believe the plant's seed are sterile, that is where a cutting would be neccessary for propagation, but since it is patented I would not propagate the plant without permission. |
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I like penstemon because they survive year after year through wet and dry weather. My original Gulf coast penstemon was purchased from Redenta's years ago.
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| The pods have a tear drop shape. These pods are still green in the photo below but they have started to turn brown and dry out. |
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| Beardtongue, Penstemon. Water-Wise Landscape Plant |
Link:
American Penstemon Society Penstemons.org
References.
Northwest Penstemons: 80 Species of PenstemonNativeto the Pacific Northwest
City of Austin. 2009. Native and Adapted Landscape Plants: An Earthwise Guide for Central Texas. Fourth Edition. Texas Agrilife Extension: Austin.
Diggs, G.M., B.L. Lipscomb, R.J. O'Kennon. 1999. Shinners and Mahler's Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas. BRIT: Fort Worth.
Diggs, G.M., B.L. Lipscomb, M.D. Reed, R.J. O'Kennon. 2006 Illustrated Flora of East Texas, Volume One. BRIT: Fort Worth. Foraging Tex
Linex, Ricky J. 2014. Range Plants of North Central Texas.
Simpson, Benny J. 1999. A Field Guide to Texas Trees,
Benny J. Simpson Texas A&M University. http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu Texas Invasive Plant and Pest Council. 2011.
Invasives Database. www.texasinvasives.org
The Dirt Doctor, Howard Garrett. www.dirtdoctor.org
Turner, Billie; Nichols, Holly; Denny, Geoffrey C.; & Doron, Oded. 2003. Atlas of the Vascular Plants of Texas. USDA. 2013.
Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski. 1998. Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region, Second Edition. Lone Star Books: Lanham.
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