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Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Penstemon australis (Eustis lake penstemon)
Brundage, Stephanie

Penstemon australis

Penstemon australis Small

Eustis Lake Penstemon, Eustis Lake Beardtongue, Slender Penstemon, Slender Beardtongue

Scrophulariaceae (Figwort Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: PEAU

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

This perennial’s smooth or hairy flower stalks are 1-2+ ft. tall and bear pairs of lance-shaped leaves. The tubular flowers, which occur in short-stalked pairs at the top of the plant, are deep-rose on the outside and white on the inside.

Slender Beardtongue is a member of the figwort or snapdragon family (family Scrophulariaceae), which includes mostly herbs, sometimes shrubs, rarely trees, often with showy flowers. There are about 220 genera and 3,000 species occurring nearly throughout the world.

 

From the Image Gallery

11 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 32 inches tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Pink , Purple
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul
Bloom Notes: White to pinkish or light lavender, with dark purple nectar guides.

Distribution

USA: AL , FL , GA , NC , SC , TN , VA
Native Distribution: Coastal Plain from LA to s.e. VA
Native Habitat: Dry pinelands; thin, upland woods; sand hills; dry, fallow fields

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Dry, sandy or thin soils.

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Description: Propagate by seed.
Seed Treatment: Germination is best with cold-moist stratification.
Commercially Avail: yes

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FACU FACU
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Research Literature

Reslit 2627 - Notes on eastern American species of Penstemon (1963) R. W. Bennett

This information was provided by the Florida WIldflower Foundation.
Search More Titles in Research Literature

Additional resources

USDA: Find Penstemon australis in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Penstemon australis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Penstemon australis

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-21
Research By: TWC Staff

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