Eastern Smooth Beardtongue

Eastern Smooth Beardtongue - also called Pink Beardtongue - stands tall with subtle elegance, sending up showy spikes of lavender to pale purple flowers in early summer. Its tubular blooms are beloved by hummingbirds and bumblebees, while the plant’s smooth, deep green foliage adds a graceful vertical texture to the landscape. Unlike some of its prairie-dwelling cousins, this species tolerates part shade and performs well in moist, rich soils—though it can handle drier conditions once established. Its upright habit makes it a useful bridge between spring ephemerals and later-blooming summer perennials, particularly in woodland edges or shaded pollinator gardens. Though it spreads gently by seed, it’s rarely aggressive.

• Cut back stems after blooming if you prefer a neater appearance or want to encourage a second flush.
• May self-seed modestly; remove seedlings if undesired.
• Tolerant of occasional division if clumps get too woody with age.