When does Eastern Smooth Beardtongue bloom?

It typically flowers from May through July, producing clusters of tubular white to pale lavender blooms on upright stems.

What pollinators does this plant attract?

Bees and butterflies regularly visit the flowers, drawn to the tubular shape that suits their foraging habits.

What growing conditions suit this plant best?

It prefers full sun and can handle part sun to part shade, thriving in low water, well-drained soils similar to open meadows and woodland edges.

Is this plant a shrub or an herbaceous perennial?

It is a herbaceous forb, meaning it lacks woody stems and typically dies back to the ground each year.

Is Eastern Smooth Beardtongue HOA-friendly?

Eastern Smooth Beardtongue is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with low maintenance.

Eastern Smooth Beardtongue

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Penstemon laevigatus

Last reviewed: September 2026

Eastern Smooth Beardtongue is a full sun forb that blooms May through July with white to pale lavender flowers. It tolerates low water and dry, well-drained soils in meadows, open woods, and roadsides across the eastern United States.

Toxicity unknown

Eastern Smooth Beardtongue (Penstemon laevigatus) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

full sun

Water

low

Size

12"–24" H × 8"–12" W

Bloom

May, Jun, Jul

Native to

AL, CT, DE, FL and 14 more states

Pollinators

bees, butterflies

Before you buy

Your city may pay you to plant this

Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 452 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

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Browse plants for this ecoregion

Piedmont Northeastern Highlands Northeastern Coastal Zone Erie Drift Plain Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Piedmont Southeastern Plains Blue Ridge Ridge and Valley Central Appalachians Western Allegheny Plateau Interior Plateau Mississippi Alluvial Plain Southern Coastal Plain Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands

Eastern smooth beardtongue is a native perennial wildflower that produces spikes of tubular white or pale pink flowers from May through July. This compact plant forms neat clumps with smooth, lance-shaped leaves and maintains a tidy appearance throughout the growing season.

Growing Eastern Smooth Beardtongue

Grow Eastern Smooth Beardtongue in full sun and low water. Mature plants reach 12 to 24 inches tall and spread 8 to 12 inches wide. Expect low maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.

In an HOA neighborhood

Eastern Smooth Beardtongue is an HOA-friendly choice. Maintenance level: low. Tidiness: 3 out of 5.

Works well in: front yard, foundation, street edge, mid zone.

Dies back completely in winter

Wildlife value

The tubular flowers are particularly attractive to native bees and butterflies, providing an important nectar source during late spring and early summer.

Common questions

When does Eastern Smooth Beardtongue bloom?: It typically flowers from May through July, producing clusters of tubular white to pale lavender blooms on upright stems.
What pollinators does this plant attract?: Bees and butterflies regularly visit the flowers, drawn to the tubular shape that suits their foraging habits.
What growing conditions suit this plant best?: It prefers full sun and can handle part sun to part shade, thriving in low water, well-drained soils similar to open meadows and woodland edges.
Is this plant a shrub or an herbaceous perennial?: It is a herbaceous forb, meaning it lacks woody stems and typically dies back to the ground each year.
Is Eastern Smooth Beardtongue HOA-friendly?: Eastern Smooth Beardtongue is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with low maintenance.

These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.

See all plant problem guides

Ready to grow Eastern Smooth Beardtongue? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.

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