Penstemon hirsutus (L.) Willd.

Nomenclature

Penstemon hirsutus (L.) Willd., commonly called hairy beard-tongue, is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family.

Native Range

It is native to southern Quebec and Ontario in Canada, and across eastern United States, where it occurs in Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

Growth Form

This is a perennial plant that grows hairy stems reaching up to 90 centimetres tall, which is the source of its species name hirsutus.

Leaf Characteristics

Its leaves are opposite, stalkless, and lanceolate.

Habitat

Penstemon hirsutus grows in dry alvars, prairies, savannas, and old fields.