Tunnel Springs Beardtongue: A Rare Gem for Your Native Garden
If you’re looking to add a touch of wild beauty to your garden while supporting local ecosystems, the Tunnel Springs beardtongue might just be the perfect choice. This charming native perennial brings delicate purple blooms and drought tolerance to gardens across the Great Basin region, though it comes with an important conservation consideration we’ll discuss.
What is Tunnel Springs Beardtongue?
Tunnel Springs beardtongue (Penstemon concinnus) is a native perennial herb that belongs to the snapdragon family. As a forb, it’s a non-woody flowering plant that dies back to the ground each winter and returns fresh each spring. Don’t let its delicate appearance fool you – this little powerhouse is perfectly adapted to survive in some pretty tough conditions!
Where Does It Call Home?
This beautiful beardtongue is native to the lower 48 states, specifically calling Nevada and Utah home. You’ll find it naturally growing in the Great Basin region, where it has adapted to the area’s unique climate and soil conditions over thousands of years.
Why You Might Want to Grow It (And One Important Consideration)
Here’s where things get interesting – and important. Tunnel Springs beardtongue has a Global Conservation Status of S3, meaning it’s considered vulnerable. With typically only 21 to 100 occurrences or between 3,000 and 10,000 individuals in the wild, this plant needs our help.
If you decide to grow this rare beauty, please only purchase from reputable native plant nurseries that use responsibly sourced, locally collected seed. Never collect plants from the wild!
That said, here’s why it’s worth growing responsibly:
- Supports native pollinators, including native bees and hummingbirds
- Extremely drought tolerant once established
- Perfect for water-wise landscaping
- Adds authentic regional character to native plant gardens
- Low maintenance once established
What Does It Look Like?
Tunnel Springs beardtongue produces clusters of small, tubular flowers in lovely shades of purple to violet. The blooms have that classic beardtongue shape that pollinators absolutely love. The plant features narrow, lance-shaped leaves that form an attractive base for the flowering stems.
Perfect Garden Spots
This native charmer is ideal for:
- Native plant gardens
- Rock gardens
- Drought-tolerant landscapes
- Pollinator gardens
- Wildlife habitat gardens
It works beautifully as an accent plant, adding pops of color while maintaining that authentic, wild look that makes native gardens so appealing.
Growing Conditions
Tunnel Springs beardtongue thrives in USDA hardiness zones 4-8. Here’s what it needs to be happy:
- Light: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil: Well-draining soil (this is crucial!)
- Water: Drought tolerant once established
- Maintenance: Very low once established
Planting and Care Tips
Getting your Tunnel Springs beardtongue off to a good start is pretty straightforward:
- Plant in spring after the last frost
- Ensure excellent drainage – soggy soil is this plant’s biggest enemy
- Water regularly the first growing season to establish roots
- Once established, water sparingly – it prefers to be on the dry side
- Avoid fertilizing, as rich soil can make the plant floppy
- Deadhead spent flowers to encourage more blooms
The Bottom Line
Tunnel Springs beardtongue is a wonderful choice for gardeners who want to grow something truly special while supporting conservation efforts. Its drought tolerance, pollinator benefits, and authentic regional character make it a valuable addition to the right garden. Just remember – only source this rare plant responsibly, and you’ll be doing your part to help preserve this beautiful species for future generations.
If you can’t find responsibly sourced Tunnel Springs beardtongue, consider other native Penstemon species that are more common in your area. Your local native plant society or extension office can help you identify great alternatives that will provide similar benefits without conservation concerns.
