Digitalis purpurea

Foxglove

Digitalis purpurea is a stunning species of Foxglove with many cultivars to choose from. They are beautiful right now at the nursery!

Digitalis purpurea is considered a biennial, which means they produce leaf and root in their first year and flower and seed in their second year. They contain both characteristics of annuals and perennials, as well as being over zealous seeders.

Other perennial foxglove species include the Strawberry Foxglove (Digitalis mertonensis), the Rusty foxglove (Digitalis ferruginea) and the pale yellow Digitalis grandiflora.

Digitalis purpurea cultivars
available

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*Digitalis Alba
*Digitalis Apricot Beauty
*Digitalis Excelsior
*Digitalis Pam’s Choice
*Camelot Series: Cream,
*White, Lavender & Pink*
*Dalmation Series:
*Purple & Peach*
*Digitalis Artic Fox Rose

A Foxglove in its second year presenting a spectacular spike of flowers.

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GROWING DIGITALIS

Deer Resistant!

Digitalis prefers moist, organically rich, acidic, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Soil must not be allowed to dry out. They bloom in late spring. Removal of flower spikes is not recommended if you want reseeding and colonizing. You will get smaller side spikes but it’s that primary spike that is most impressive. Since they are biennials, Digitalis reseed and colonize in the most interesting and beautiful ways.

Digitalis has striking colors and good architectural height in garden beds.

Some cultivars grow to 5 ft tall while some grow between 3-4ft tall (Camelot Series).

info

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Bloom Time: *May to June*
*Full sun to part shade*
Height: *2 to 5 feet*
Attracts: *Hummingbirds*
Tolerate: *Rabbit, Deer*
Suggested Use: All kinds
of ornamental beds & gardens.
*Also, great in naturalized areas*
*& woodland gardens.*

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DIGITALIS: HISTORY AS A MEDICINAL PLANT

A SOURCE FOR DIGOXIN USED TO TREAT CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA

Vineyard Gardens front bed with many biennials on display; Angelica, Echium, a couple types of Digitalis and Fennel.

Digitalis is commonly used as an ornamental plant for gardeners but it has a long history for medicinal use as well. Their dried leaves contain the drug digoxin that is used to treat cardiac arrhythmia. It was popularized in 1785 by a British physician that spoke of Digitalis purpurea helping the heart work more efficiently. A curious story revolves around Vincent Van Gogh and his connection to the use of digitalis to treat his epilepsy. The over use of the chemical digoxin found in digitalis can affect one’s eyesight, by tipping the vision color scale to a yellow tint and seeing halos around objects. People have theorized that Van Gogh was affected by these side effects, alluding to his yellow period and his frequent use of halos in his paintings. In a self portrait Van Gogh is depicted holding a foxglove plant and two paintings of his doctor holding digitalis. However, this may be pure speculation about Van Gogh’s color palette choice but what is known is digitalis has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes.

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LESSONS IN

SUCCESSION

GARDENING

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There is a time in early summer when groups of perennials are either ending their season or just starting their growth spurts. During this ‘in-between’ period in June, the addition of hardy annuals effectively bridges the blooming gap filling in the empty space of spent perennials. This strategic planting is known as succession gardening, a layered gardening style that has continuous blooms throughout the season. Succession gardening breathes more color, cut flowers, birds and bees into the garden.

We seeded an assortment of hardy annuals last fall, such as Cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus), Ladybird poppies (Papaver commutatum), Rose of Heaven (Silene ‘Blue Angel’), Larkspurs, Feverfew, Queen Anne’s Lace (Ammi Majus), Snapdragons (Antirrhinum) and some biennials like Lychnis coronaria, Digitalis purpurea (hybrids) and Verbascums that bloom early and will flower through June and some into July. In addition to blooming in June, these annuals knit together a beautiful planting scheme with the evolving summer perennials.

Hardy annuals can be used both in formal gardens and natural settings.

SUCCESSION GARDENING TIPS

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The flowers of hardy annuals can occupy negative space in June and then the foliage of neighboring perennials fill that space in July.

Hardy annuals are best planted early, typically around mid march, depending on the weather. Planted early they will give you the maximum desired effect.
Vineyard Gardens has a great selection of our fall sown hardy annuals that are available now and ready to plant.
These plants can be directly sown in the spring but will not give you the size, vigor or highly anticipated jaw dropping display due to the warmer temperatures as spring progresses.

Alternatively, hardy annuals can be removed in July and replaced with tender annuals.

Tender annuals include Cosmos, Dahlias, Tagetes, Browalia, Ageratum, Coleus, Impatiens or Cleome.