Digitalis purpurea
Common purple foxglove, Fairy thimbles, Dead men's bells, Lady's glove, Witches' gloves
- Height × spread
- 1.5m × 0.6m
- Position
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Colder than -20C (RHS H7)
- Flowers
- Spring, Summer
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
This beautiful woodland foxglove has columns of tubular flowers that have a lilac-pink exterior with a white speckled interior. The plant spends its first year as a rosette and, in its second, thrusts up a column of flowers. The flowering stalk becomes quite attenuated as it matures with flowers at its tip but it retains an elegance to the end. </P><P>The name foxglove has various interpretations; one version has it that foxes wear the blooms on their paws to enable them to move silently. The plant itself is poisonous and is the source of digitalis, the heart stimulant drug. This chemical remains within the plant even after it has been dried and the dead foliage should not be fed to livestock.
- Flower colour
- Lilac, Purple
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Stem colour
- Green, Grey
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Column
- Height
- 1.5m
- Spread
- 0.6m
- Season of interest
- Summer
- Flowers in
- Spring, Summer
- Evergreen
- Evergreen
- Garden style
- Wild flower meadow, Prairie garden, Mediterranean garden, Herb garden, Cottage garden
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun, tolerates part shade, tolerates light shade
- Soil type
- All types
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil, Well drained soil
- Hardiness
- Colder than -20C (RHS H7)
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Use for
- Deer resistant, Rabbit resistant, Bee attraction
- Maintenance
- Easycare – low/no maintenance
- Hazards
- Yes, plant with caution; Humans: CAUTION toxic if eaten
Spring
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water to keep the soil moist
For best results, this plant needs soil that is always moist. Water deeply and regularly as soon as soil appears dry. Even for established plants in the ground, a dry week can cause problems with some soils. Check plants in pots more often, especially in hot weather. Or install an automatic irrigation system which will do the hard work for you, even when you are away on holiday.
Without regular watering some plants never fully regain their beauty.
Spring, Summer, Autumn · Planting
Cut faded flower stems
Once all the blooms on the stem have opened and faded, cut the entire stem off.
Summer
Summer - early · Outdoors
Feed a general fertiliser
Where plants have moderate needs for nutrients, they can simply be given a general feed, fairly early in the growth season so that the growth has plenty of time to harden off before the cold weather.
Give plants a general boost with the application of a general purpose fertiliser which is spread around the root area of the plant, with amounts as directed on the feed label.
Planting & general
Compost · Planting
Multi-purpose compost
Use a good quality peat-free multi-purpose compost when growing in pots and containers.
Found in
More Digitalis
Digitalis
Foxglove
Digitalis grandiflora 'Carillon'
Large flowered yellow foxglove
Digitalis purpurea 'Dalmatian Purple'
Common purple foxglove, Fairy thimbles
Digitalis purpurea 'Dalmatian White'
Common purple foxglove, Fairy thimbles
Digitalis purpurea 'Pam's Choice'
Common purple foxglove, Fairy thimbles
Digitalis purpurea 'Primrose Carousel'
Common purple foxglove, Fairy thimbles
Digitalis purpurea 'Snow Thimble'
Common purple foxglove, Fairy thimbles
Digitalis purpurea Foxy Group
Common purple foxglove, Fairy thimbles