Spring has been cooler and late this year; consequently this forb is
about 2 to 3 weeks delayed. From our walk this morning there was
Penstemon digitalis - commonly known as Smooth Penstemon.
A member of the snapdragon family this showy native to the prairie is
also called foxglove or beardtongue. Native Americans and folk-healers
have made use of this plant for medicinal purposes for both people and
animals.
On our pollinator habitat this is the first species to materialize in
large quantities. And there is an abundance of this blooming beauty.
Acres upon acres of the stuff. This flower appears during late spring
or early summer for about a month and then it’s gone.
Long-tongued bees, including honeybees, bumblebees, miner bees, butterflies, Sphinx moths, and hummingbirds favor this plant. The name Beardtongue is a consequence of the hairy reproductive parts found within the flower.
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