Scrophulariaceae : Penstemon angustifolius
Files
Download Seed: The seeds of narrow beardtongue are 2.5-3.5 mm long and dark brown in color. (62 KB)
Download Seedling: Three month old seedling grown in research greenhouse at SDSU. (64 KB)
Download Mature plant (1.0 MB)
Download Vegetative: The thick textured bracts of narrowleaf beardtongue are 3-10 cm long. (83 KB)
Download Flowering: The flower panicles are 5-15 cm long. (329 KB)
Family Name
Scrophulariaceae
Common Name
Narrowleaf beardtongue, Broadbeard beardtongue
Native American Name
Lakota: čhaŋȟlóǧaŋ ȟláȟla
Description
Penstemon angustifolius is a perennial herb arising from a short-branched caudex, with 1-10, ascending to erect stems, 15-50 cm tall, often with a waxy coating. The basal thick leaves are sessile to having a short, winged petiole, linear to oblanceolate, 4-9 cm long and 2-18 mm wide, the margins entire. The cauline leaves are simple, sessile, clasping, opposite, linear to lanceolate, 3-11 cm long and 2-24 mm wide, the tips pointed with entire margins. All of the leaves are generally covered with a blue waxy coating. The inflorescence consist of 5-15 opposite pairs of flower clusters on short, peduncles arising from leaf axils in the upper plant, each cluster with 4 to 8 short-pedicellate flowers. The calyx is smooth and waxy, sometimes with a few short hairs, with 5 lobes, 4-8 mm long. The bilabiate corolla is white to lavender to blue, tubular, 14-20 mm long, 4-6 mm wide with violet to red-purple nectar guides on the inside. The 3 lobes of the lower lip and 2 lobes of the upper lip are slightly reflexed with a few white hairs on the inside of the lower lip. There are 4-fertile (2-short, 2-Long) stamen and a sterile staminode, that is bearded with yellow hairs. The fruit is an ovoid capsule 9-14 mm long. Narrowleaf beardtongue blooms in May and June on open prairies and sandhills in western South Dakota.
Horticulture Notes
Seed Collection: Collect seed in June and July when they turn dark brown or black in color.
Germination: Fall sow or cold moist stratification for 60 days before spring planting.
Soils: Sandy loam, sand, or gravel, well drained soils.
Light: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium dry.
Additional Notes
Broadbeard beardtongue produces beautiful flowers in the early spring making it useful for xeriscaping. It is a drought tolerant herb that is useful in erosion control and land reclamation. The seeds are used by birds, and the flowers attract native bees in large numbers.