Such beautiful blooms! I love my penstemon. I have several different kinds but none like these. They probably are not native in Pennsylvania. I do love to watch bees disappearing into the blossoms and then backing out to go visit another!
I was amazed to find out that there are so many species of Penstemons. Almost every state has several. They're all pretty nice, in my opinion. Thanks so much for commenting.
WOW! What's in a name? ...as they say. Have to admit the the thought of a bearded tongue has always caused me to 'move along'. But now that you have shown us why this unique flower has such a name, well I am quite charmed by it! I am a fan of the few penstemons that I have become aware of and in fact have one pretty pink one growing inside that is always threatening to take over it's corner of my living room! But back to your large-flowered Beardtongue, with all that structure provided by the stamens one wonders if it was set on evolving into a plant that could consume bees and such? Do plants think? Well, I don't know, but it seems to me that this plant has somehow developed a rather unique plan! :-)
Such interesting musings here. Thank you Sandy for reflecting on the Penstemon. There is no suggestion that this genus has carnivorous plants in its ancestry, at least that I've heard of. But I'm intrigued by why the Penstemons make one of their four stamen non fertile and devoid of pollen. No one has offered a convincing theory about that.
On the pretty stamen sans pollen, I am thinking it is a lure that brings the bee close enough to smell the nectar deep in the throat of the flower. If the bee could feed on the pollen first at the opening of the flower, it might never dip inside. This is what led me to wonder if the Large-flower beardtongue was 'thinking' of drawing bees in, to consume them. The lure and the flower size. There is a lot of energy put into growing these big flowers. Still, I freely admit, it is just a thought and I love knowing the details you have shown us. Your pictures and writing are always an inspiration to know more!
We're in the Blue Ridge Mtns of South Carolina, very near NC. Ours is a hyperlocal native, Penstemon laevigatus (smooth beardtongue). The blooms are more whitish than yours. And wow, do the pollinators love them!
I'd love to republish this piece if that's ok with you. Evolution is so amazing!
Yes, please do. And thanks for the great service you do on behalf of the life forms of the planet and of Iowa.
Fascinating!
You combine art, nature and science beautifully. Thanks Diane!
Fascinating information and lovely photos :-)
I've seen penstemon but not this one. It's beautiful. I love the pictures.
Thank you Penny
Such beautiful blooms! I love my penstemon. I have several different kinds but none like these. They probably are not native in Pennsylvania. I do love to watch bees disappearing into the blossoms and then backing out to go visit another!
I was amazed to find out that there are so many species of Penstemons. Almost every state has several. They're all pretty nice, in my opinion. Thanks so much for commenting.
love the close ups! xoxo
Thanks Jennifer. I was so amazed when I dug a little into the botany of this flower.
Wow! This is fascinating-- and your photos are gorgeous!
Thanks Patti. You always make me feel like smiling.
WOW! What's in a name? ...as they say. Have to admit the the thought of a bearded tongue has always caused me to 'move along'. But now that you have shown us why this unique flower has such a name, well I am quite charmed by it! I am a fan of the few penstemons that I have become aware of and in fact have one pretty pink one growing inside that is always threatening to take over it's corner of my living room! But back to your large-flowered Beardtongue, with all that structure provided by the stamens one wonders if it was set on evolving into a plant that could consume bees and such? Do plants think? Well, I don't know, but it seems to me that this plant has somehow developed a rather unique plan! :-)
Such interesting musings here. Thank you Sandy for reflecting on the Penstemon. There is no suggestion that this genus has carnivorous plants in its ancestry, at least that I've heard of. But I'm intrigued by why the Penstemons make one of their four stamen non fertile and devoid of pollen. No one has offered a convincing theory about that.
On the pretty stamen sans pollen, I am thinking it is a lure that brings the bee close enough to smell the nectar deep in the throat of the flower. If the bee could feed on the pollen first at the opening of the flower, it might never dip inside. This is what led me to wonder if the Large-flower beardtongue was 'thinking' of drawing bees in, to consume them. The lure and the flower size. There is a lot of energy put into growing these big flowers. Still, I freely admit, it is just a thought and I love knowing the details you have shown us. Your pictures and writing are always an inspiration to know more!
Your theory is the most convincing one I've found yet.
Diane, we have wild Penstemon cobaea here (central TX Hill Country)--it also has the staminode but not as showy as yours. Here's a photo (Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center): https://www.wildflower.org/image_archive/640x480/PCD3632/PCD3632_IMG0073.JPG
I'd never looked at its anther structure before. Thank you for teaching me more about this beautiful plant!
That is a beautiful Penstemon. I couldn't get the link to work from my computer, but this might be the same page
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=peco4
Yes, it's one of the image gallery photos. We have a few every year in a patch (always the same place) in our of our pastures. Love your photos!
Beautiful; thank you for sharing all this, Diane! I have a different variety of penstemon in our garden. You've deepened my appreciation for it.
Thanks for commenting, Jeanne. I am also intrigued by the reproductive strategy of this big genus.
Which one have you got? And what part of the country are you in?
We're in the Blue Ridge Mtns of South Carolina, very near NC. Ours is a hyperlocal native, Penstemon laevigatus (smooth beardtongue). The blooms are more whitish than yours. And wow, do the pollinators love them!
I wonder if smooth beardtongue has that name for being one of the few whose staminode does not have a furry or hairy appearance.