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Native Plant Society of Texas

Nodding Beardtongue

Penstemon laxiflorus

Other common name(s):

Nodding Penstemon, Loose-flowered Penstemon, Loose-flowered Beardtongue

Family:

Plantaginaceae (Plantain Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

1
to
2
ft.

Spread

1
to
2
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Dry, Sand, Well Drained

Light Requirement

Part Shade

Water Requirement

Low

Native Habitat

Grassland, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Pink, White

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Pollen

Wildlife Benefit

Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Nectar Insects

Maintenance

Low maintenance. Although drought tolerant, will look best with supplemental water in the summer. Makes a nice addition to a woodland or edge of a meadow garden. Self seeds easily. Native habitat: open woods and prairies.

Description

Blooms March-June. Upright stem with narrow opposite leaves. Loose spikes of one-inch tubular flowers, soft white with purple streaky markings and a yellow-orange beard.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Penstemon australis ssp. laxiflorus, Penstemon australis var. ameles

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed Stratification To hIf the pods are not ripe enough it may be necessary to crush the capsules screen them. See can be moist stratified after storage at 33-40 F for 30 days (Philips 1985, Shirley 1994). Penstemons reseed readily in loose soil and the plantlets thus produced may be transplant. There are 3,200,000 seeds/lb and the recommended seeding rate is 1 lb/acre (USDA 1948). To harvest seeds, cut the stalk and place into a paper bag upside down. Store the bag in a cool, dry place until the seeds dry and fall from the pods. Shake the bag to remove all the seeds then screen to clean. https://warcapps.usgs.gov/PlantID/Species/Details/4024#:~:text=Beardtongue%20prefers%20full%20to%20a,in%20fall%20or%20early%20spring.
Seed No Treatment If the pods are not ripe enough it may be necessary to crush the capsules screen them. Seed can be sown fresh. https://warcapps.usgs.gov/PlantID/Species/Details/4024#:~:text=Beardtongue%20prefers%20full%20to%20a,in%20fall%20or%20early%20spring.
Bud Clumps may be divided in fall or early spring. https://warcapps.usgs.gov/PlantID/Species/Details/4024#:~:text=Beardtongue%20prefers%20full%20to%20a,in%20fall%20or%20early%20spring.

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason