Nothochelone nemorosa aka Woodland Beardtongue

Nothochelone nemorosa belongs to the plantain family, Plantaginaceae. It is a perennial, so it lives for years. People call it woodland beardtongue or woodland penstemon. It grows wild from British Columbia to northwestern California. Its range takes in Washington and Oregon. It grows in mountain woods and at forest edges. It also lives in clearings and on cliffs. Records place it at 4,000–7,500 feet [1,219–2,286 metres] above sea level. Some sites have mixed evergreen woods and rocky ground.

The plant grows upright from a woody crown. Its stems reach 1–4 feet [0.3–1.2 metres] tall. Fine, short hairs coat the stems, which branch above. The stems range from green to brown and have no scent. It grows at a moderate rate. Each branch holds a few flowers. The green leaves are simple, with one blade each. They are narrow and thin, with short stalks. Leaves grow in an alternate pattern along the stems. Their edges have coarse teeth. Fine hairs coat the leaves beneath. Lower leaves are shorter than those higher on the stems.

Pink or purple blooms open from midsummer into early fall. Loose, branched flower groups, called panicles, top the stems. Each tube-shaped bloom has two upper and three lower lobes. Hairs cover the sepals and the flowers' outer parts. The flower tube is smooth inside. Blooms are about 0.08–0.25 feet [0.025–0.076 metres] long. They also have hairy staminodes, which are sterile stamens. Small brown to copper seed pods, called capsules, follow. They form in summer and fall. Their small seeds have broad wings. These wings set the plant apart from penstemons. They also explain its move to a different genus.

In gardens, it prefers moist soil and part shade. Dappled light suits it, but it tolerates full sun. It can cope with dry, rocky soil too. The soil must drain well; its listed preference is neutral soil. Its reported hardiness range is USDA zones 7–8. The high humidity of the southeastern United States does not suit it. Growers can start plants from seed or summer stem cuttings.

Woodland beardtongue suits borders in woods and gardens with shade. It also suits plantings for pollinators. Its blooms draw bees and hummingbirds. In northern Pacific gardens, it blooms from summer into fall. It needs little care. The source reports no major plant problems. The supplied evidence lists no food uses. It gives no assessment of toxicity.