We proudly research, grow, and write about our plants by hand. Descriptions are based on our experience as well as information gathered from reputable sources: books, periodicals, and select websites. Should you have questions beyond what is listed please email or call.

Penstemon cobaea | showy beardtongue

Regular price: $8.99
Regular price
Sale price: $8.99

Shipping calculated at checkout.

Grown from seed in living soil without the use of pesticides, chemicals, or carbon fuels.

ships spring 2026

Penstemon cobaea has some of the largest flowers of the genus, earning it the common name Showy Penstemon. The large purple flowers smother the two foot high stems when they open in mid to late spring. Pollinators cannot get enough!

This US native plant can be found growing on prairies, limestone glades, and escarpments from Nebraska to Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Easy to grow in full sun on well-drained soil. It is a wonderful plant for the native garden, dry border, or alpine lawn.

Zone: 5 to 8
Family: Plantaginaceae
Type: Herbaceous Perennial
Height: 12 to 24 in.
Spread: 12 to 18 in.
Exposure: full sun
Conditions: average, dry, medium, well-drained
Bloom Time: May
Native Range: southern and central United States
Common Names: dew flower, cobaea beardtongue, cobeae penstmon, showy penstemon, showy beardtongue, prairire beardtongue, prairie penstemon, purple beardtongue, purple penstemon, false foxglove, wild foxglove, large-flowered penstemon, large-flowered beardtongue

HT2-m

4" pot

Special Characteristics

Drought resistant
Deer-resistant

image credits

sonnia hill,CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
William L. Farr,CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Ordering information

Preorders

You may place your order anytime to reserve plants for spring 2026 shipping. If you place multiple orders, we will combine plants into one box (or as many as needed) and any extra shipping charges will be refunded.

We will resume shipping plants as soon as plants are ready and temperatures are appropriate in our location and yours.

We will check in with you a week before shipping to make sure you receive your plants at a time that is convenient for you.

Shipping

Live plants ship in spring and fall only. Plants may ship dormant, depending on variety and season. Shipping costs are most reasonable when bundling like size plants.

4-inch: 1-6 plants ship for $15.00 / 7-13 plants ship for $18.00 / 14-30 plants ship for $40.00
1-gal: 1-2 plants ship for $18.00 / 3-4 plants ship for $25.00 / 5-6 plants ship for $40.00
trees & shrubs: $27.00-$40.00 each, height dependent
seeds: $6.75 or free with orders over $15.00

We regret that we cannot ship internationally or to the following states: AK, AZ, CA, CO, FL, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, or WA.

Nursery pick up

We will email you to schedule a day and time to collect your plants when they are ready in spring. Generally, plants can be collected from the nursery Monday through Sunday from 10am-4pm in Spring, Summer, and Fall.

Plant Sizes

We most commonly use the following pot sizes for perennials:

4-inch pot: 3.5" H x 3.5" W x 3.5" D
2-quart pot: 6" H x 5.25" W x 5.25" D
1-gallon pot: 6.87" H x 8" Dia (this is a true one gallon pot, not the smaller 'trade' one gallon pot used by many nurseries)

Check out our illustrated pot size guide here.

Representative trees & shrubs are photographed in their pots and posted on each plant page.

Sustainability

Sustainability is at the heart of what we do at The Old Dairy. We grow all of our plants outdoors without the use of chemicals, fertilizers, carbon fuels, or peat.

Many of our perennials are grown in the ground and dug upon order (this is especially true for larger sizes). This practice allows us to grow stronger, healthier plants using native soil, and ultimately reduces our impact on the environment.

Our open-pollinated seeds are collected from plants in our mother beds, which have never been treated with chemicals or sprays of any kind.

Read all about our sustainable practices here.