Tall floral scapes, 40 to 50 inches high and hung with bell-shaped flowers, make foxglove (Digitalis) the natural backdrop at the back of a flower bed. Give it ordinary, well-drained soil in full or part sun, leave the clump undisturbed, and the second year after planting puts on an even greater show.
| Name | Digitalis |
|---|---|
| Family | Scrophulariaceae |
| Type | perennial |
| Height | 40 to 50 inches (100 to 120 cm) |
| Exposure | full sun, part sun |
| Soil | ordinary, well drained |
| Flowering | early summer to midsummer |
It produces a striking result and is perfect to serve as the backdrop for flower beds thanks to the elevation it reaches.
If you purchased your plants in nursery pots, it is best to plant the foxglove in the ground in fall, spacing each 12 inches (30 cm) from the next and adding “flower plant” soil mix to your soil.
To sow foxglove well, proceed to sow directly in the plot starting from the month of May and up until September.
Foxgloves are sold both as tall, old-fashioned spires for the back of a bed and as shorter, quicker strains that flower in their first year. Height and flower colour are what usually decide the choice.
| Variety | Height | Flower colour | Life cycle |
|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Sutton’s Apricot’ | 120–150 cm | soft apricot-pink | biennial |
| Excelsior Group | 150–180 cm | pastel pink, cream, purple, all round the stem | biennial |
| ‘Foxy’ | 75–90 cm | mixed pink, rose, cream, spotted throats | biennial, flowers first year from an early sowing |
| Dalmatian Series | 60–75 cm | purple, peach, cream or white | first-year flowering, often treated as an annual |
| Camelot Series | 100–120 cm | cream, lavender, rose or white | first-year flowering biennial |
| ‘Pam’s Choice’ | 120–150 cm | white with a heavily maroon-blotched throat | biennial |
Remove wilted foxglove flowers without cutting off the entire stem to stimulate new flower growth.
In case of prolonged dry spells or heat wave, water the base of the plant in the evening.
Deadheading won’t lead to new flowers in the current season. However, it does let the perennial grow more lush and vigorous: this will lead to more flowers next spring.
This very beautiful perennial launches tall floral scapes gilded with beautiful bell-shaped flowers.
Foxglove is easy to grow, requires little care and its ornamental impact is assured, given how spectacular the blooming is.
You can also cut a couple foxglove flower stems and place them in a vase, they keep for a long time!
Stake the tallest foxglove stems to avoid having them break due to wind.
