Foxglove
Digitalis species. SCROPHULARIACEAE.
Planting and Growing Foxglove
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow foxglove in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of foxglove
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for foxglove
- Season of bloom and planting time for foxglove
- When, how deep, and where to plant foxglove
- How to plant foxglove
- Watering, fertilizing, care, and pests or diseases of foxglove
- Landscape and container uses of foxglove
- Comments about foxglove and its features
Growing Foxglove
About 19 species of upright, slender, biennial or perennial herbs, 2–5 ft. (60–150 cm) tall. Hairy, gray green, oval or lance-shaped, pointed leaves, to 8 in. (20 cm) long, forming a circular, radiating base.
Mixed plantings of foxglove hybrids and species will hybridize, resulting in seed with different characteristics than its parent plants.
See also Yellow Foxglove, Digitalis grandiflora, a closely related species with similar care needs.
Planting and Care Guide
Blooms
Large, showy, pink, purple, white, yellow, nodding, bell-shaped flowers, 2 in. (50 mm) long, with marked or spotted, brown, pink, purple, white, yellow centers, on tall spikes, in summer.
Best Climates
Plant as annual; ground-hardy, zones 2–9.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained humus. Fertility: Rich. 6.5–7.0 pH. Supplement with leaf mold.
Where and How to Plant
Spring, zones 2–7; autumn, zones 8–9, in filtered sun to partial shade, 15–18 in. (38–45 cm) apart.
Proper Care
Easy. Keep moist. Fertilize annually in spring. Deadhead spent stalks . Mulch, zones 2–5. Propagate by division, seed.
About This Plant
Good choice for accents, backgrounds, fencelines in cottage, shade, wildlife, woodland gardens. Attracts birds, hummingbirds. Japanese beetle and leaf spot susceptible.
Warning:
Foliage and seed of Digitalis grandiflora can be hazardous if eaten. Avoid planting in areas frequented by pets or children.