Absaroka Range Beardtongue: A Rare Wyoming Gem Worth Protecting
If you’re the type of gardener who gets excited about growing something truly special – something that maybe only a handful of people in the world are cultivating – then the Absaroka Range beardtongue might just capture your imagination. But before we dive into the details, there’s something important you need to know about this remarkable little wildflower.
A Plant on the Edge
Penstemon absarokensis isn’t your typical garden center find, and for good reason. This native Wyoming perennial carries a Global Conservation Status of S2, meaning it’s considered imperiled. With only 6 to 20 known occurrences in the wild and somewhere between 1,000 to 3,000 individual plants remaining, this beardtongue is genuinely rare. If you’re considering adding this plant to your collection, please ensure you source it responsibly from reputable native plant suppliers who propagate rather than wild-collect their stock.
Where It Calls Home
The Absaroka Range beardtongue is found exclusively in Wyoming, true to its common name which references the Absaroka Range where it makes its home. This extremely limited geographic distribution makes it one of the more localized penstemons in North America.
What Makes It Special
As a member of the beloved penstemon family, this perennial forb produces the characteristic tubular flowers that make beardtongues so appealing to both gardeners and pollinators. While we don’t have detailed descriptions of its specific appearance, penstemons typically offer stunning blooms in shades of purple, blue, pink, or white that create vertical interest in the garden.
Being a forb means this plant is herbaceous – it lacks the woody tissue of shrubs and trees, dying back to ground level each winter and emerging fresh each spring. This makes it perfect for perennial borders and naturalized areas where you want seasonal interest without permanent structure.
Garden Role and Design Ideas
Given its rarity and specific habitat requirements, the Absaroka Range beardtongue is best suited for:
- Specialized native plant collections
- Rock gardens that mimic alpine conditions
- Conservation-focused landscapes
- Educational gardens highlighting rare native species
This isn’t a plant for mass plantings or casual gardening – it’s more like adopting a rare orchid that requires your attention and care.
Growing Conditions and Care
While specific growing requirements for this species aren’t well-documented, we can make educated guesses based on its native Wyoming mountain habitat. It likely prefers:
- Excellent drainage (think rocky, gravelly soil)
- Full sun to partial shade
- Cool, dry conditions
- Protection from excessive moisture, especially in winter
Based on its high-elevation Wyoming origins, this penstemon should be quite cold-hardy, likely thriving in USDA zones 3-5, though it may struggle in hot, humid climates.
Pollinator and Wildlife Benefits
Like other penstemons, the Absaroka Range beardtongue likely provides valuable nectar for native bees and potentially attracts hummingbirds. Supporting rare native plants like this one helps maintain the intricate relationships between native flora and fauna that have developed over thousands of years.
The Bottom Line
Should you grow Absaroka Range beardtongue? If you’re an experienced native plant gardener with the right growing conditions and a commitment to conservation, it could be a meaningful addition to your collection. However, this isn’t a beginner plant, and it’s definitely not something to plant on a whim.
The real question is whether you’re ready to be a steward of a genuinely rare species. If the answer is yes, make sure you source your plants ethically, provide the specialized care they need, and perhaps most importantly, share seeds or divisions with other conservation-minded gardeners to help ensure this remarkable Wyoming native has a future both in the wild and in our gardens.
Sometimes the most rewarding plants to grow are the ones that need us as much as we appreciate them.
