Common name: Foxglove
Family:Scrophulariaceae, Figwort
Height x width: 2-5' x 1-3'
Growth rate, habit: moderate; upright spikes from basal growth
Foliage: basal rosettes and alternate, entire
Flowers: reds, yellow, white racemes in spring or summer (photo courtesy Missouri Botanical Garden plantfinder)
Hardiness: zones 3-4 to 7-8
Soil: prefer well-drained, organic, moist, tolerate many
Light: part shade, tolerate sun in zones 3-5 if moisture
Pests and problems: anthracnose, fungal leaf spots and root and stem rots, verticillium wilt; viruses; aphids, beetles, mites, mealybugs, nematodes
Landscape habit, uses: borders, shade or woodland gardens
Other interest: genus name means "finger-like" resembling fingers of a glove with ends cut off; family name from fact purpurea was used in 13th century for "scrofulous complaints"
Other culture: biennial and perennial species, remove biennials from garden after they reseed
Propagation: seed, division
Species:
ambigua:grandiflora
ferruginea (ferr-uu-gin' ee-ah)--Rusty Foxglove, zones 4-7, 4-5' x 1-2', brownish red flowers in early summer, biennial
grandiflora (gran-di-floor' ah)--Yellow Foxglove, zones 3-8, 2-3' x 1-2', large yellow flowers in summer, toothed and hairy leaves, adaptable to many conditions (photo courtesy Missouri Botanical Garden plantfinder)
lanata (la-nah' tah)--Grecian Foxglove, zones 3-7, 1-2' x 1', pale white flowers with purplish inner netting in dense raceme, generally perennial
lutea (luu-tee' ah)--Straw Foxglove, zones 3-7, 2-3' x 1', yellow flowers in summer smaller than grandiflora, 4-6" serrated leaves, not heat tolerant
x mertonensis (mer-toe-nen' siss)--Strawberry Foxglove, zones 3-8, 3-4' x 2', rose 2-3" flowers in summer, tetraploid from a cross of purpurea and grandiflora, 6-8" long velvety leaves, generally biennial
obscura (ob-scur' ah)--Willow Foxglove, zones 5-7, 1 1/2-2' x 1', beige yellow flowers with red inner veins, flowers nodding, linear leaves, shrubby habit
parviflora (par-ve-floor' ah)--Spanish Foxglove, zones 5-7, 2-3' x 1', reddish brown flowers in dense cylindrical racemes, flowers in late spring and early summer on unbranched stems, perennial
purpurea (pur-pur'
ee-ah)--Common Foxglove, zones 4-8, 4-5' x
3', lavender flowers with purple and white spots in spring, wrinkled and
downy leaves, native and naturalized in British Isles, source of heart
drug digitalin
Cultivars:
| Cultivars, other taxa | species | flowers | other |
| f. albiflora ('Alba') | purpurea | white | |
| Excelsior Group | purpurea | mix, 2-3" long | flowers around stalk |
| 'Foxy' | purpurea | mix, like Excelsior | blooms first year |
| Giant Shirley Group | purpurea | pink mottled shades | 4-5' or taller |
| 'Gigantea' | ferruginea | yellowish brown | 4-5' tall |
| 'Sutton's Apricot' | purpurea | apricot, large | |
| 'Temple Bells' | grandiflora | yellow, smaller than species blooms first year |
©Authored by Dr. Leonard Perry, Professor, University of Vermont as part of PSS123 course.
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