Flower profile

Royal beardtongue

Penstemon speciosus

Royal beardtongue (Penstemon speciosus) is a flowering plant in the Plantaginaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly May–July across the U.S.

Native to Nevada

Royal beardtongue is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.

6states where USDA records it

466NV sightings*

2,250U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Nevada

Quick look

Penstemon speciosus is a species of penstemon known by the common name royal penstemon of western North America.
From Wikipedia's article Penstemon speciosus, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Plantaginaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 6 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Nevada. ^NatureServe
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as blue. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as mid summer. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 2.5 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 466 research-grade sightings of it in Nevada, ranking #87 among the 132 flowers on our Nevada list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month in Nevada (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (22 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Nevada: Not listed Not on Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010). NatureServe: S5, secure in Nevada. ^{NAC 527.010}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: UT (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records royal beardtongue in 6 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington.

Nevada counties with USDA records: Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, Storey, Washoe, White Pine.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Royal beardtongue a high shade tolerance, high drought tolerance and low moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 6.4 to 8.0 and winter lows down to -33 °F.

Shade tolerance: High
Drought tolerance: High
Moisture use: Low
Soil textures it is adapted to: coarse, medium
Soil pH range: 6.4 to 8.0
Minimum temperature tolerated: -33 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 110
Annual precipitation range: 8 to 24 inches
Minimum root depth: 14 inches
Salinity tolerance: None
Fertility requirement: Low
Growth rate: Moderate
Lifespan: Long
Active growth period: Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed: Brown · Spring to Summer
Can be propagated by: seed
Commercial availability: Contracting Only

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for PESP. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 87 counties across 6 states; the most are in California (23), Oregon (17), Nevada (15).

Other Penstemon on Bloomipedia (16): Foxglove beardtongue, Cobaea beardtongue, Whipple's penstemon, Beardlip penstemon, Palmer's penstemon, Front range beardtongue, Firecracker penstemon, Large-flowered beardtongue, Sidebells penstemon, Hot rock penstemon.

More from the Plantaginaceae family (29 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Bird's-eye speedwell, Butter-and-eggs (common toadflax), Purple foxglove, White turtlehead, Heath speedwell, Canada toadflax, Culver's root, Texas toadflax.

More Nevada flowers

Palmer's penstemon

Penstemon palmeri

Native

🌼 Blooms in NV: April–June

Firecracker penstemon

Penstemon eatonii

Native

🌼 Blooms in NV: April–July

Creosote bush

Larrea tridentata

Native

🌼 Blooms in NV: March–May

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile PESP.
iNaturalist, Penstemon speciosus: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Penstemon speciosus (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Nevada: Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010).
Nevada: Nevada noxious weeds (NAC 555.010).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Penstemon speciosus (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Irina Mitine via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.