Description History & Interesting Facts:

The genus Digitalis is native to Western Europe, the Mediterranean region, and northwest Africa, and has some 20 species, most of which are short-lived perennials, but some are biennials. In their native habitat the plants thrive on acidic soils, in partial sunlight to deep shade, and in a range of habitats that includes open woods, woodland clearings, moorland and heath margins, sea-cliffs, rocky mountain slopes, and hedge banks. They are very common on sites where the ground has been disturbed, such as recently cleared woodland, roadside verges, or where the vegetation has been burnt.

Because foxgloves are popular worldwide they have very many common names, including:  vingerhoedjie, purple foxglove, fairy gloves, fairy bells, goblin gloves, witches' gloves, and dead men's bells.

The origins of the name foxglove are unclear, but can be traced all the way back to the Anglo-Saxon period, and the Anglo-Saxon name was “foxes glofa” or “the glove of the fox” because it looked like it would fit a fox’s paw. In folklore it was also said that people believed foxes wore Foxglove flowers on their paws to silence their movements when hunting. Another more plausible one is that foxgloves are often found growing close to the earth where foxes raise their young. The Latin name, “digitalis” comes from the word “digit” or finger, since it was easy to fit a finger inside the flowers.

Foxgloves are also mentioned in various poems, such as A Nocturnal Reverie by Anne Finch, and are the central focus of famous poems, like:

Foxgloves by Mary Webb

The foxglove bells, with lolling tongue,
Will not reveal what peals were rung
In Faery, in Faery,
A thousand ages gone.
All the golden clappers hang
As if but now the changes rang;
Only from the mottled throat
Never any echoes float.
Quite forgotten, in the wood,
Pale, crowded steeples rise;
All the time that they have stood
None has heard their melodies.
Deep, deep in wizardry
All the foxglove belfries stand.
Should they startle over the land,
None would know what bells they be.
Never any wind can ring them,
Nor the great black bees that swing them--
Every crimson bell, down-slanted,
Is so utterly enchanted

Although modern cultivars of foxgloves will bloom in spring and summer if planted or sown in autumn, the old fashioned foxglove can take up to 24 weeks to flower. They grow quickly, forming a rosette of large ovate to lanceolate leaves which are covered with grey-white hairs, imparting a downy texture. In the first year after sowing the foliage forms a tight rosette at ground level, and in its second year it produces long flowering stems about 1 to 2m tall, and sometimes even longer, depending on the variety, before producing copious amounts of seed and dying.

The main bloom time is in spring and early summer but occasionally additional flower stems are produced later in the season, especially if the main flower stalks are cut after blooming. Pollinated flowers are followed by rounded fruit capsules which split open at maturity to release the numerous small, brown, ridged seeds. Each plant can produce 1 to 2 million seeds which, under favourable growing conditions, will readily self-seed.

Because the plants seed themselves so freely, in some countries foxgloves are considered a weed or invasive plant. They have naturalised in other parts of Europe and Africa, Asia, South America, New Zealand, Canada, and much of the United States. Newer F1 garden cultivars of foxglove produce sterile seeds and are not considered invasive.

Cultivated forms also often show flowers completely surrounding the central flower spike, in contrast to the wild form, where the flowers only appear on one side; and by 2015 perennial hybrids were developed that bloom all summer. The velvety flowers of foxgloves last long in a vase, and come in shades of lavender to purple, pink to rose-red, and white, yellow, and cream, and the inside surface of the flower tube is heavily spotted with dark purple edged in white, and also on the lower lip, which serves as a landing platform for pollinators.

The flowers are visited by bees and primarily bumble-bees, which climb deep into the flower tube to get the nectar which lies in a ring at the base of the tube, and in the process they rub against the anthers which lie flat on the upper inside surface of the corolla. When visiting another flower, the pollen rubs off on the cleft stigma. In their natural habitat, hummingbirds are also known to visit the flowers.

There are many cultivars available which vary in height, but most of the modern strains are quite compact and grow about 60 to 90cm tall and 25 to 30cm wide. Some strains are easily grown by the novice gardener, while others are more challenging.

Popular, easy to grow garden cultivars include:

Dwarf ‘Foxy Mix’

Foxy Mix is a cherished Heirloom variety with rich colours on shorter stems. It is extremely popular because it blooms reliably from seed in the first year, and if sown in early autumn it will flower within 5 months, producing sturdy flower stems about 70cm tall with showy white to cream, and rose to pink and purple blooms, with spotted throats. Its compact growth habit makes it lovely in containers. This biennial is mostly treated as an annual that re-seeds itself readily in the garden.

Dalmatian ‘Peach’

Dalmatian ‘Peach’ received the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society for its dreamy, soft peach-coloured trumpets with orange speckled throats, in its first year. It is compact, growing to a height of 40 to 50cm, with a spread of 35cm, and will continue to flower on side shoots once the central spike is cut back after flowering. This foxglove is a popular biennial or short-lived perennial which is often treated as an annual, and will self-seed in the garden.

The new ‘Camelot Series’ of F1 hybrid Foxglove

Camelot Series was developed in 2003, and remains a sensational improvement on older varieties, as it blooms very early, and tolerates more heat and humidity than many foxgloves, making it more suitable for our warm climate. Even if you plant seedlings out in spring, before summer has hardly begun, it will be sporting its first display of fat buds, which burst into glorious bloom over a long, very profuse season. Flower colours are white, cream, lavender, rose, and mixed, all with the distinctive speckling in the throat.  Situate Camelot foxgloves in partial shade and in rich, moist soil, and this perennial will put on a fine show for several seasons. It is tall and stately, growing 1.2m tall with a spread up to 60cm, and although a perennial, this foxglove is often treated as an annual.

‘Excelsior’

Excelsior hybrids are grand, old fashioned biennial foxgloves that bloom in their second year, but are well worth the wait, and this magnificent Heirloom variety produces stately flowering spires from 1.2 to 1.8m tall, with flowers arranged evenly around the spike, in pastel shades of rose pink to lavender pink, light pink, creamy yellow and white, with heavily spotted throats. It needs space as it can spread 45 to 60cm and creates a spectacular presence at the back of borders, and makes handsome cut flowers, whose seeds can be collected and saved.

Foxglove 'Camalot Lavender' Picture courtesy Nu-leaf NurseryUses:

Digoxin is a type of medicine called a cardiac glycoside. It's used to control some heart problems, such as irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) including atrial fibrillation. It can also help to manage the symptoms of heart failure, usually with other medicines, and Digitalis purpurea is the original source of this heart medicine.

Its clinical use was pioneered by William Withering, who recognized it "reduced dropsy", increased urine flow, and had a powerful effect on the heart. During World War II, when German blockades created shortages, County Herb Committees were established to collect medicinal herbs, and this included Digitalis purpurea which was used to regulate heartbeat.

In the Garden:

Foxgloves bring dramatic and richly coloured vertical accents to garden beds and borders  in spring and summer, and make excellent cut flowers if picked when the blooms are half open.  They suit many gardens, be they modern city gardens or cottage gardens, and Foxgloves, along with delphiniums, are the stars, the bones of the classic cottage garden. They even do well in sheltered coastal gardens, and the white ones are popular in moon gardens.

Foxgloves are particularly effective when planted in groups in front of dark backgrounds such as those provided by a building, hedge, or other shrubs, where they will really stand out.

Foxglove 'Dalmation Peach' Picture courtesy Nu-leaf NurseryCultivation/Propagation:

Seedlings of modern foxglove varieties that bloom in their first year are usually planted out in autumn or early spring, and seeds are sown directly into garden beds in autumn to flower the following spring and summer.

Foxgloves prefer cool climatic conditions where rainfall is good, and to be cultivated successfully they require deep, rich, loamy soils and cool root zones. They will grow in semi-shade to sun, but in regions where it gets hot very early in summer, its best to plant them in a cool position.

They also do well in sheltered coastal gardens and are hardy to cold and frost. In severe frost regions, first-year plants that have not bloomed yet should be covered with a thick layer of dried leaves or mulch in autumn, before the ground freezes.

This plant will happily grow in temperatures between 12 to 28℃, however, if temperatures reach over 30℃ the plant may start to wilt and die. For this reason they are not well suited to very hot and dry regions, and although they are not too fussy about humidity, in very humid regions they may struggle with fungal diseases.

Because they grow best in regions with high rainfall, they must be watered thoroughly during dry spells.  However, on the other hand, they do not tolerate waterlogged soils. Careful watering is essential in getting plants off to a good start, and if your soil is rich and deep, watering well once a week should be sufficient.  Try to water early in the morning to give the leaves enough time to dry, as this helps to prevent fungal diseases.

Although foxgloves prefer light, moist soils high in organic matter and with good drainage, they will grow in almost any type of soil that is not too dry or overly wet.  They also like slightly acid soils, so add acid compost and even some well-rotted manure to the beds, as well as a sprinkling of 2:3:2 fertilisers. Mix all this into the soil by digging the beds over thoroughly.

Foxgloves respond badly to too much feeding, and if your soil is rich and fertile, and the plants are mulched regularly, extra feeding may not be required at all. However, if your soil is poor, or you are growing in pots, the plants will respond well to regular feeding with a liquid fertiliser for flowering plants. Keep granular fertilisers away from the plant crown and foliage to avoid burn injury, and when using a slow release fertilizer, use low rates, as higher rates may encourage root rots.

Protect your plants from strong wind, and although generally there is no need for staking, you can plant stakes if the site is fairly windy, or to protect them from storms. To avoid damage to the roots later, do this when you plant out the seedlings.

Cutting spent foxglove blooms will encourage repeat blooming, and for the heirloom varieties, also prevent re-seeding, although some gardeners choose to leave the last flower stalks of the season to allow the plants to self-sow in the garden.

Seed germinates best in soil temperatures between 15 and 18°C. Don’t sow the seeds too deep just cover them with soil to twice their own thickness. You can also simply press them gently into the soil before watering them in lightly. If you keep the soil moist, germination takes place in about 5 to 10 days. Once they grow their first true leaves thin the plant a bit and allow them to grow further before their final thinning to space them correctly. If you selected to buy seedlings from a garden centre, check the label for plant spacing, which is generally between 30 or 40cm apart, depending on the variety. 

Weeds compete with plants for water, space and nutrients, so control them by either cultivating often or use a mulch to prevent their germination. Mulches also help to retain moisture in the soil and help to maintain a more even soil temperature. An organic mulch of aged bark or shredded leaves will lend a natural look to the bed, and as it breaks down it improves the texture of the soil. Most importantly, when mulching, and especially with Foxgloves, keep the mulch away from the plant stems to prevent possible rot.

With heirloom varieties you can collect seeds to save after the blooms have faded. Allow the seeds to mature on the stalk, and by mid to late summer they should be ready to harvest. Make sure to do it before the seed capsules have burst and spread the seed around the garden.

Foxglove 'Camelot Cream' Picture courtesy Nu-leaf NurseryProblems, Pests & Diseases:

Foxgloves may be susceptible to aphids, mealy bugs, slugs, red spider, Japanese beetles, and leaf and bud eelworm. Treat with a suitable pesticide, or control with organic sprays like insecticidal soaps, neem oil, or essential oils.

Because foxgloves grow in moist soil, and in partial shade, they can be affected by a variety of funguses, such as verticillium wilt and leaf spot; and powdery and downy mildews can infect the foliage in late summer.

Anthracnose is a fungal disease which causes brown spots with purple edges on the leaves. The spots slowly turn black in the centre, causing the leaves to become yellow before drying out completely and falling off. The fungus overwinters in diseased plant debris, so keeping your garden clean by weeding and removing any diseased plant material lying around will go a long way in preventing infections. Applying mulch around the roots of the plants will also help to prevent the spores splashing from the soil onto plants.

Crown rot can be a problem, sometimes caused by white fungal spores or by dense, poorly draining soils. Seriously affected plants will need to be discarded.

To prevent fungal problems, space the plants correctly, do not water overhead, and water early so the leaves that do get wet have plenty of time to dry out during the day. Also, ensure that the soil drains well, and do not overwater.

Warning:

Digitalis purpurea is a poisonous species of flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae. Due to the presence of the cardiac glycoside digitoxin, the leaves, flowers and seeds of this plant are all poisonous to humans and a problem for cats, dogs and horses.

All parts of the plant are toxic if ingested, and contact with the leaves can irritate sensitive skin, so wear gloves when handling this plant.

Symptoms of Digitalis poisoning include a low pulse rate, nausea, vomiting, and uncoordinated contractions of different parts of the heart, leading to cardiac arrest and finally death.