June’s Native Maryland Plant
Penstemon digitalis Nutt. ex Sims
(PEN-stem-on dig-ee-TAH-liss)
Common Name: White or Foxglove Beardtongue
Names of plants can be intriguing, whether the common name or botanical name. They often describe where a plant naturally grows (e.g., Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris)) but more often they draw attention to a physical attribute of a plant or its similarity to another plant. They can stoke your imagination and even make you want to ‘lean in’ to see and learn more about a species. Penstemon digitalis is one such plant. With a common name of Foxglove beardtongue, it conjures up many images, some even a bit fanciful. But this plant’s botanical name (Greek genus, Latin specific epithet) describes its more interesting features quite plainly. Looking at the flower closely it’s easy to see the five stamen (Penstemon) that are designed to ensure pollination occurs. The long corolla gives it its species name – it does in fact resemble a finger – or digit.
Penstemon digitalis is a tall, showy plant that offers pollinators both pollen and nectar. It’s a particularly valuable plant in a landscape as it bridges the gap between when spring flowers are fading, and when summer flowers have yet to bloom. Its sturdy stem keeps it standing tall and its tolerance of different soil types makes it an easy plant to add to a garden. P. digitalis is also considered a deer-proof plant, another valuable feature in many landscapes.
Its common name, Foxglove Beardtongue is due to its resemblance to European Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) – see below. Although they share a common name and some physical attributes – you wouldn’t want to confuse the two – the latter being very toxic.
After the flowers complete their bloom period, they form small oval seed capsules. These capsules will dry, turn brown and then split open to release their seeds – if they aren’t consumed by bunnies first (as is sometimes the case in my garden).
Learning the botanical names of the plants in your garden is helpful to learning more about them. It’s especially important when purchasing plants or recommending them to others. If you aren’t growing it already, I’d highly suggest you try some Penstemon digitalis in your garden!
