Large beardtongue

Year-round

Large beardtongue is a native prairie perennial with tall spikes of pink to lavender flowers in late spring. It wants full sun and soil that drains well, and it does not like sitting in wet ground.

• Give it a full sun spot, at least 6 hours of direct light a day, for the strongest bloom spikes
• In heavy black clay, plant it high on a slight mound or work in coarse sand or expanded shale so water does not pool at the crown; in the sandier soils west of the metro it drains fine on its own but will need water more often through its first summer
• Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart since it forms an upright clump 18 to 36 inches tall
• Skip heavy mulch piled against the base, which holds moisture against the crown and can rot it
• It is a short-lived perennial that often behaves more like a biennial, so expect some plants to fade after a couple of years and let a few seedheads drop to replace them

Summer

Flowering wraps up by June, and once the heat sets in this plant wants to be left alone. It is drought tolerant once established and overwatering in summer causes more problems than underwatering.

• Cut spent flower spikes back to the basal leaves once bloom finishes in June, unless you want seed to form for reseeding
• After the first year, water only during extended dry stretches, roughly every 2 to 3 weeks in July and August heat
• Do not run it on the same automatic irrigation cycle as lawn or annuals; standing water in 100F heat rots the roots faster than drought stresses them
• Leave the low basal rosette of leaves in place; it stays through summer and does not need cutting back

Cutting the tall bloom spikes back to the basal rosette right after flowering keeps the bed looking tidy instead of leggy and brown through the hottest months.

Fall

Fall is quiet for this plant. Established clumps need little attention, and it is a fine time to add new plants or divide crowded ones before winter.

• If you are adding plants, September through October works as well as spring and skips the summer stress
• Leave any late seedheads in place through fall if you want the clump to spread naturally
• Divide overcrowded 2 to 3 year old clumps in early fall, replanting divisions the same day
• In the sandier soils west of the metro, taper watering as temperatures drop; in heavy clay, make sure fall rains are not pooling around the crown before winter

Winter

This plant keeps a low evergreen to semi-evergreen rosette of leaves through winter and needs almost no care. North Texas winters are mild with occasional hard freezes, and established plants handle both fine.

• Leave the basal rosette alone all winter; do not cut it to the ground
• Skip winter watering except during an extended dry spell with no rain for several weeks
• Before a hard Arctic freeze, a loose layer of leaf litter or straw over the crown protects it, though established plants usually do not need it
• Hold off on any pruning or cleanup until you see new spring growth starting at the base

The low green rosette holding its shape through winter reads as a deliberate evergreen groundcover rather than a dead perennial, so there is no need to cut it back for a tidy look.

Spring

Spring is planting season and the lead-up to bloom. New plants need steady moisture to get established before the North Texas heat arrives.

• Plant after the last frost, mid March in most years, once soil has warmed and dried out from winter rain
• Water new transplants twice a week for the first 4 to 6 weeks, then taper off as roots establish
• Watch for the flower spike to emerge in April and stretch upward through May
• Do not fertilize; rich soil produces floppy stems that need staking
• If a late cold snap threatens fresh transplants, cover them overnight rather than watering more

A newly planted cluster looks sparse for the first few weeks; a thin layer of shredded hardwood mulch (kept off the crown) reads as a tended bed rather than bare dirt while it fills in.

Year-round

Large beardtongue is a native prairie perennial with tall spikes of pink to lavender flowers in late spring. It wants full sun and soil that drains well, and it does not like sitting in wet ground.

• Give it a full sun spot, at least 6 hours of direct light a day, for the strongest bloom spikes
• In heavy black clay, plant it high on a slight mound or work in coarse sand or expanded shale so water does not pool at the crown; in the sandier soils west of the metro it drains fine on its own but will need water more often through its first summer
• Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart since it forms an upright clump 18 to 36 inches tall
• Skip heavy mulch piled against the base, which holds moisture against the crown and can rot it
• It is a short-lived perennial that often behaves more like a biennial, so expect some plants to fade after a couple of years and let a few seedheads drop to replace them

Summer

Flowering wraps up by June, and once the heat sets in this plant wants to be left alone. It is drought tolerant once established and overwatering in summer causes more problems than underwatering.

• Cut spent flower spikes back to the basal leaves once bloom finishes in June, unless you want seed to form for reseeding
• After the first year, water only during extended dry stretches, roughly every 2 to 3 weeks in July and August heat
• Do not run it on the same automatic irrigation cycle as lawn or annuals; standing water in 100F heat rots the roots faster than drought stresses them
• Leave the low basal rosette of leaves in place; it stays through summer and does not need cutting back

Cutting the tall bloom spikes back to the basal rosette right after flowering keeps the bed looking tidy instead of leggy and brown through the hottest months.

Fall

Fall is quiet for this plant. Established clumps need little attention, and it is a fine time to add new plants or divide crowded ones before winter.

• If you are adding plants, September through October works as well as spring and skips the summer stress
• Leave any late seedheads in place through fall if you want the clump to spread naturally
• Divide overcrowded 2 to 3 year old clumps in early fall, replanting divisions the same day
• In the sandier soils west of the metro, taper watering as temperatures drop; in heavy clay, make sure fall rains are not pooling around the crown before winter

Winter

This plant keeps a low evergreen to semi-evergreen rosette of leaves through winter and needs almost no care. North Texas winters are mild with occasional hard freezes, and established plants handle both fine.

• Leave the basal rosette alone all winter; do not cut it to the ground
• Skip winter watering except during an extended dry spell with no rain for several weeks
• Before a hard Arctic freeze, a loose layer of leaf litter or straw over the crown protects it, though established plants usually do not need it
• Hold off on any pruning or cleanup until you see new spring growth starting at the base

The low green rosette holding its shape through winter reads as a deliberate evergreen groundcover rather than a dead perennial, so there is no need to cut it back for a tidy look.

Spring

Spring is planting season and the lead-up to bloom. New plants need steady moisture to get established before the North Texas heat arrives.

• Plant after the last frost, mid March in most years, once soil has warmed and dried out from winter rain
• Water new transplants twice a week for the first 4 to 6 weeks, then taper off as roots establish
• Watch for the flower spike to emerge in April and stretch upward through May
• Do not fertilize; rich soil produces floppy stems that need staking
• If a late cold snap threatens fresh transplants, cover them overnight rather than watering more

A newly planted cluster looks sparse for the first few weeks; a thin layer of shredded hardwood mulch (kept off the crown) reads as a tended bed rather than bare dirt while it fills in.