The Purple foxglove, also known as Digitalis purpurea or common foxglove, is a plant that blooms every two years. It has tall flower stalks that contain tightly clustered, tubular flowers that face downwards. These flowers come in a variety of colors such as cream, pink, purple, red, yellow, and white, with some even having lighter throats or speckles. The Digitalis genus belongs to the Plantaginaceae family, commonly referred to as the plantain family, and contains around 20 different species.
To assist you in finding relevant products, we provide links to vendors. If you happen to purchase a product through one of our links, we may receive a commission. Commonly known as foxglove, D. purpurea can be grown as a biennial in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 9 or as an annual in any temperate zone. Although it is considered a short-lived perennial wildflower in coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest. The history of foxglove dates back to 1755 when Dr. William Withering from England used a remedy obtained from an elderly herbalist to treat a patient with heart problems. This folk remedy contained D. purpurea and had been used for years to treat wounds and dropsy in patients with symptoms of heart conditions.
The doctor’s experimentation with foxglove leaf extracts in the 18th century yielded a treatment that alleviated angina heart pain. Concurrently, the anti-inflammatory properties of the D. purpurea plant were being studied in Ireland. In 1790, Charles William Quin, a physician general, published a treatise on Dropsy of the Brain that illustrated the efficacy of the plant as an anti-inflammatory heart medication. Today, the plant is commercially cultivated for its use in producing digitalis, a drug prescribed for congestive heart failure and atrial arrhythmias. However, it’s important to note that the plant is highly poisonous and contains cardiac glycosides that are toxic to humans and pets if ingested. While extracts of the leaves are used in medicinal applications, ingesting the plant can be fatal. Despite this, many people still grow it for its beauty and the nectar it provides for pollinators.
Did you know that foxglove is actually a biennial, despite often being mistaken as a perennial due to its self-sowing capabilities? In the first year, it grows a tight rosette of lance-shaped leaves with scalloped edges, followed by a flower stalk and blooming in the second year. Some hybrids like ‘Camelot’ and ‘Foxy’ bloom in the first year and behave like annuals, but still self-sow like perennials. These beautiful plants can reach heights of 18 to 60 inches and have sturdy stems that are popular among floral designers. Their bell-shaped flowers attract bees and hummingbirds and open from bottom to top. Foxgloves prefer part shade and thrive in heat and humidity as long as they receive moderate moisture and adequate space. They typically bloom from early spring to first frost and overwinter in the first year before setting seed in the second. Good drainage is crucial, as their roots are prone to rotting in saturated soil during winter. To propagate foxgloves, you can start from seed or purchase nursery plants, but keep in mind that hybrid seeds may yield inconsistent results and even be sterile.
Nursery plants offer a more predictable outcome with identifiable characteristics. To grow foxgloves from seed, you can either buy them or take them from a friend’s plant. You can sow seeds directly into the garden after the spring frost has passed. Spread several seeds every 12 to 18 inches on moist soil without covering them, as they need light to germinate. Keep the soil evenly moist for two to three weeks until germination occurs. Once the seedlings have two or more sets of true leaves, thin them out to ensure proper spacing of 12 to 18 inches, which will aid in air circulation and prevent fungal diseases. Alternatively, start the seeds indoors six weeks before the last spring frost date and transplant them outside after the danger of frost has passed. Before transplanting, expose the indoor seedlings to the outside environment for a few hours each day for four or five days to acclimate them. Take care not to overwater them to avoid fungal diseases.
To transplant nursery plants into the garden, wait until the last spring frost date has passed or purchase them in late summer to early fall. When transplanting, remove the plants carefully from their containers and place them into the soil, ensuring that the pot soil surface is even with the ground level. Maintain a spacing of 12 to 18 inches between plants. After planting, water the plants thoroughly and tamp the soil gently around them. Keep in mind that some cultivated varieties behave as annuals and bloom in the first year, while others are biennial or short-lived perennials that bloom in the second year after experiencing a winter chill. It is also essential to note that plants may cross-pollinate in the garden, resulting in color dominance or variations in the next generation. Sometimes, plants that bloom in the first year may also re-bloom in the second, so you may want to keep them in place at season’s end.