Penstemon digitalis – Foxglove Beardtongue

This is the most common species of Beardtongue in our area and it generally occurs in extensive, prominent patches in old fields and along roadsides. It’s also the best garden performer and numerous varieties have been selected that are common in horticulture. ‘Husker Red’ with reddish tinged foliage, was the first variety – released in 1983 by Dale Lindgren at the University of Nebraska, it went on to become the Perennial Plant Association Plant of the Year in 1996. Numerous varieties with even darker red foliage have followed. Very attractive to bumblebees, you’ll even see the occasional hummingbird working the flowers for nectar. Somewhat surprisingly, the species is not considered native to New York but introduced here from other parts of the species’ range, which is quite close to us in Pennsylvania and New Jersey