Beardtongue the Magnificent

Beardtongue may sound like a fearsome pirate, but alas it is merely a charming perennial which can be found in prairie settings throughout Minnesota. Perhaps my favorite is Penstemon grandiflorus whose cheerful countenance I drive by daily this time of year on my commute through Shakopee. Its lavender bells rise cheerfully from the prairie in early June announcing the transition from spring to summer. The flowers are offset by beautiful gray-green foliage and produce seeds that readily germinate in open ground.