This classic garden favorite adds towers of graceful blooms to beds and borders.
)is a classic garden favorite known for its towers of blooms.
Most foxglove plants are biennials.
Credit: Rick Taylor
In the second year, they send up beautiful spikes of blooms, (which hummingbirds love).
Foxglove plants die when they finish blooming for the season.
A few foxgloves aretrue perennials, blooming each year.
Credit: Rick Taylor
Be careful where you plant foxglove.
The tall biennial is perfect for a woodland garden, border, or the back of a garden bed.
They are hardy in USDA zones 310.
Credit: Rob Cardillo
How and When to Plant Foxglove
Foxglove is easy to grow from seed sown in early summer.
Keep the soil moist.
They require a temperature of 70F to 80F to germinate.
Credit: Janet Mesic Mackie
After they germinate, thin the seedlings to 18 inches apart.
Then plant them in fertile, well-draining garden soil.
Some perennial types prefer part shade over full sun, so check which throw in you have before planting.
Credit: Rob Cardillo
The full-sun varieties may havemore problems with powdery mildewon the foliage when they are planted in shady conditions.
They’re not drought tolerant, especially when in bloom, sogive them water during long dry periods.
They tolerate a wide humidity range.
Credit: Ed Gohlich
Fertilizer
Foxglove doesn’t require any fertilizer when planted in organically rich soil.
For the amount to use, follow product label directions.
Water the fertilizer after applying it and keep it away from the plant’s foliage.
Credit: Janet Mesic-Mackie
Pruning
Remove any dead or damaged foliage that occurs during the season.
Pests and Problems
Aphidsand mealybugs are attracted to foxglove plants.
How to Propagate Foxglove
Foxglove is easy to grow from seed.
Credit: Julie Maris Semarco
It self-seeds prolifically unless the blooms are removed before the seeds form.
Gardeners can harvest seed from their plants by leaving a few blooms on the plant until they dry.
Seed is also available from local and online nurseries.
Credit: Jay Wilde
Perennial foxglove plants can be divided.
Dig up the plant and the entire root ball.
Use a sharp spade to cut the root ball and plant into two or three sections.
Immediately replant the divisions in the garden.
Types of Foxglove
Common Foxglove
Digitalis purpureais a short-lived, self-sowing perennial or biennial.
It’s a mainstay in cottage gardens.
Zones 4-9
Strawberry Foxglove
Digitalisxmertonensisbears strawberry-red bloom spikes up to 3 feet tall.
Divide plants every two to three years so that they maintain vigor.
The chartreuse flowers appear in playful, frothy clusters above the foliage.
Hostas in new sizes and touting new foliage features seem to appear each year.
Some are intensely fragrant.
Hostas are a favorite of slugs and deer.
Periwinkle
Periwinklesdeliver glossy leaves, stellar blue flowers, and quick coverage in shady gardens.
The only flaw is they’re so popular they’ve become under-appreciated.
Keep the plants cut back to encourage bushy growth and to keep them within bounds.
Periwinkles can become invasive in some areas.
The biennials begin blooming in late spring of their second (and last) year of life.
However, because foxglove is toxic, animals tend to stay away from the plant.
It is deer-resistant and rabbit-resistant.
National Poison Control Center
Foxglove.
