White Beardtongue
Penstemon albidus
White Beardtongue (Penstemon albidus) is a native perennial with one to five stems and pairs of flower clusters along the upper stem, holding white, funnel-shaped flowers with reddish-purple lines in the throat. It blooms May into July on open prairies and hillsides throughout South Dakota, and it is on a plant checklist from the Black Hills. Photographed in the Black Hills.
Free photos from other sources
| Family | Plantaginaceae · Plantain |
|---|---|
| Status | Native perennial |
| Blooms | May into July |
| Height | 15–50 cm (6–20 in) |
| Where | Open prairies and hillsides, often in sandy or gravelly soil |
| Also called | White Penstemon |
Roots, seeds & germination
Root: Stems rise from a short, branched caudex (woody base).
Seed: An egg-shaped capsule, 8–12 mm long, holds many black seeds 2–3 mm long. Collect once capsules turn dark brown or black.
Germination: Sow in fall, or give seed 60 days of cold, moist treatment before spring planting.
How do you identify White Beardtongue?
Look for white funnel-shaped flowers, under 2 cm long, in clusters of 2 to 7 from the upper leaf joints, with reddish-purple lines in the throat. The flower stalks, calyx (the cup below the petals) and outside of the petals are covered in short, gland-tipped hairs. Beardtongue gets its name from the bearded sterile stamen inside.
When does it bloom?
May into July.
Where does it grow?
Open prairies and hillsides, often in sandy or gravelly soil, in part shade to full sun. A 1986 survey of Jewel Cave National Monument lists it, and Devils Tower National Monument lists it among flowers commonly seen along its trails.
Other flowers to compare
Sources: SDSU Open PRAIRIE: Penstemon albidus; Minnesota Wildflowers: White Beardtongue; Kansas Wildflowers: Penstemon albidus; National Park Service, Devils Tower: Wildflowers; A Survey of the Vegetation of Jewel Cave National Monument, with vascular plant checklist (Marriott and Hartman, 1986).