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Purple Foxglove
Digitalis purpurea
Also known as Purple Foxglove, Common Foxglove
In stock
Description
Foxgloves love the dappled shade of a woodland forest, which is exactly what we have here at our homestead. They do very well at the base of conifers, where few other plants can compete, and because they are deer resistant and reseeds readily, they make an excellent landscape flower. What’s more, they are stunning in bouquets and arrangements.
These foxgloves originally came from wild seeds we collected on a hike along the Oregon coast. I was impressed by how similar wild foxgloves are to cultivated varieties, looking just as tall, vigorous, and colorful. They have spotted white and pink throats and bloom from early summer until fall. If you keep cutting the flowers, they will continue to branch at the base and send up more flowering stalks.
Details
Lifecycle: Biennial
Hardiness zones: 4 – 8 (USDA)
Habitats: Woods, heaths, mountain grasslands
Plant size: 4 ft tall x 2 ft wide
Light: Part shade
Soil: Well draining soil, slightly acidic
Water: Keep soil moist during flowering
Seeds per packet: 100 seeds
Seed Starting
Transplant: Sow seeds 10-12 weeks before last frost. Do not cover seeds as light is required for germination. Seeds are tiny and very light. Bottom water or mist to avoid displacing them. Up pot into larger containers after the first true leaves appear, 15-20 days after sowing. Transplant outside after the last frost.
Direct seed: Sow seeds in the fall. Do not cover seed as light is required for germination. Keep soil moist. Thin to about 12″ apart.
Cultivation
Foxgloves are biennial and flower in the second year. If planted in a sunny spot, keep them well watered throughout the first year, especially during the dry parts of summer.
Harvest
For bouquets, harvest when the lower 1/3 of flowers on a spike have opened.
Propagation
Foxgloves make a huge quantity of seeds (2 million per plant) and reseeds easily in the right setting. To naturalize foxgloves in your garden, allow the plants to go to seed. The seeds will fall on their own, but make sure the ground nearby is free of weeds and uncovered to give the seeds adequate light.
Seed Saving
Once the seed pods turn brown and feel brittle to the touch, cut the spike at the base and thresh out the seeds by shaking them upside down into a bucket. Seeds are very light, so it’s best to use a small screen to clean them (do not use a fan).
Additional information
Weight | 0.007 lbs |
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Dimensions | 4.5 × 3.25 × .05 in |
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