Penstemon
Penstemon digitalis
Also called Beardtongue and Husker Red
Garden plant · PerennialsDO NOT CUT IT BACK IN AUTUMN. The old top growth is what carries it through a wet winter, and tidying it in November is how most of them die. Cut in April.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Medium
- Water
- Every 6 daysWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade, sharp drainage
- Feed
- Every 21 days
- Humidity
- Low
- Hardiness
- Hardy — a cold winter RHS H5, to -15°C
- Size
- 0.75 m tall · 0.4 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- The eastern United States
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsNothing recorded against it
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-08-03. Where a source says nothing, we say nothing.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.