Degener’s Beardtongue: A Rare Colorado Treasure Worth Protecting
Meet Degener’s beardtongue (Penstemon degeneri), one of Colorado’s most precious botanical gems. This little-known perennial wildflower represents something truly special in the world of native gardening – a plant so rare that encountering it feels like discovering buried treasure in the Rocky Mountains.
What Makes This Plant So Special?
Degener’s beardtongue is a native perennial forb that calls only Colorado home. Unlike many plants that spread across multiple states, this penstemon has chosen to make its entire existence within Colorado’s borders, making it what botanists call an endemic species. As a herbaceous perennial, it lacks woody stems but returns year after year from its underground root system.
Like other members of the penstemon family, this plant produces tubular flowers that are perfectly designed for attracting pollinators, particularly native bees and hummingbirds. The blooms likely display the characteristic purple-blue hues that make penstemons so beloved by gardeners and wildlife alike.
A Conservation Concern
Here’s where things get serious: Degener’s beardtongue has a Global Conservation Status of S2, meaning it’s imperiled. With only an estimated 6 to 20 known occurrences and fewer than 3,000 individual plants remaining in the wild, this species is hanging on by a thread. Every single plant matters for the survival of this species.
Should You Grow Degener’s Beardtongue?
This is where responsible gardening becomes crucial. While growing rare native plants can be incredibly rewarding and contributes to conservation efforts, Degener’s beardtongue presents unique challenges:
- Seeds or plants must come from ethical, conservation-approved sources
- Wild collection is absolutely prohibited and could harm remaining populations
- Growing conditions are likely very specific and difficult to replicate
- Success rates may be low even for experienced gardeners
If you’re passionate about growing this rare beauty, work only with reputable native plant societies, botanical gardens, or conservation organizations that may have ethically propagated material.
Growing Conditions and Care
While specific growing information for Degener’s beardtongue is limited due to its rarity, we can make educated guesses based on its Colorado mountain habitat:
- Soil: Likely prefers well-drained, rocky or sandy soils
- Sun exposure: Probably thrives in full sun to partial shade
- Water needs: Likely drought-tolerant once established
- Hardiness: Adapted to Colorado’s mountain climate, probably hardy in USDA zones 4-7
- Elevation: Likely adapted to higher elevation conditions
Alternative Penstemons for Your Garden
If you’re drawn to the idea of growing penstemons but can’t source Degener’s beardtongue responsibly, consider these more widely available Colorado natives:
- Rocky Mountain penstemon (Penstemon strictus)
- Firecracker penstemon (Penstemon eatonii)
- Palmer’s penstemon (Penstemon palmeri)
- Bridges’ penstemon (Penstemon rostriflorus)
Supporting Conservation
Even if you never grow Degener’s beardtongue in your garden, you can still help this rare species survive:
- Support organizations working on Colorado native plant conservation
- Participate in citizen science projects that monitor rare plants
- Choose other native Colorado plants for your landscape
- Spread awareness about the importance of plant conservation
Degener’s beardtongue reminds us that not every plant is meant for every garden, but every plant has value in our natural world. Sometimes the best way to honor a rare native plant is to protect its wild habitat while celebrating its more common relatives in our cultivated spaces.
