Northeastern beardtongue
Penstemon hirsutus
Last reviewed: September 2026
Penstemon hirsutus, or Northeastern beardtongue, is a low-water forb that produces pale purple tubular flowers from May through July in part-sun garden settings.
Toxicity unknown
Northeastern beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus) 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
part sun
Water
low
Size
12"–30" H × 12"–18" W
Bloom
May, Jun, Jul
Native to
CT, DC, DE, IL and 16 more states
Pollinators
bumble bees, mason bees, hummingbirds
Before you buy
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A slender beardtongue with narrow tubular flowers in soft lavender-white held on upright wiry stems above a low basal rosette. It stays compact, tolerates dry rocky soil and light shade, and keeps a tidy silhouette after bloom.
Growing Northeastern beardtongue
Grow Northeastern beardtongue in part sun and low water. Mature plants reach 12 to 30 inches tall and spread 12 to 18 inches wide.
Wildlife value
Long tubular flowers are worked heavily by long-tongued bumble bees, and the seed capsules persist into winter for small birds.
Common questions
- When does Northeastern beardtongue bloom?
- Penstemon hirsutus typically flowers from May through July, sending up spikes of tubular, pale purple to lavender blossoms.
- What pollinators does Penstemon hirsutus attract?
- Bumble bees and mason bees are frequent visitors to the tubular flowers, and hummingbirds will also feed at the blooms.
- How much light and water does this plant need?
- It grows best in part sun and has low water needs once established, tolerating drier soils without frequent watering.
- Does Penstemon hirsutus stay green year round?
- No, it is a deciduous herbaceous forb. The foliage dies back in winter and new growth emerges again in spring.
These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). 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.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Northeastern beardtongue? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
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