Plant Profile: Penstemon australis

A brief-lived native species found along the coastal plains stretching from Louisiana to southeastern Virginia, this plant thrives in dry pinelands, sparse upland forests, sandy hills, and uncultivated fields.

Each specimen features one or more flowering stems that emerge from a rosette of leaves. These leaves are smooth, rounded at the top with a tapered base, and have serrated edges. The leaves on the upper stem (known as cauline leaves) are lanceolate, tapering at both ends and exhibiting lightly toothed edges.

The flowers are tubular and have a two-lipped structure, with the upper lip divided into two lobes and the lower into three. The blossoms display a pink to rose-purple hue on the exterior, while the interior is white adorned with dark purple streaks. A staminode, which is a non-functional stamen, extends from the flower, resembling a tongue protruding from an open mouth, which is how it earned the nickname 'beard tongue.'

This plant is relatively easy to cultivate in sandy, low-nutrient, well-drained soil, thriving in full sun to partial shade. It is an excellent choice for native pollinator gardens or rock gardens.

Insects, diseases, and other plant issues: It is a short-lived perennial.

For further details on Penstemon, additional information is available.