Explore the world of Digitalis purpurea, commonly known as Common Foxglove, Foxglove, or Purple Foxglove. This herbaceous biennial or short-lived perennial plant is known for its woolly-textured leaves arranged in a spiraling pattern. In its first year, the foliage forms a dense rosette at ground level. In the following year, expect this plant to grow a showy bloom up to 6.5 feet high, containing pendent tubular flowers typically in different shades of purple, pink, rose, white and yellow. These flowers, which bloom in early summer, are a magnet for bees that dive right into the flower tube to access nectar. Later, the plant develops a capsule fruit filled with miniature sized seeds.
Purple Foxglove, while being a European import, has found its way around the globe, finding home in diverse continents such as Asia, North America, South America and Oceania. It prefers a moist environment with well-drained, acidic soil enriched in organic matter. Given its impressive size and stunning blooms, it adds a majestic vertical dimension to any perennial flower bed. They are particularly striking when planted in mass, in front of walls, and beneath shrubs. It has some maintenance needs, requiring regular watering during dry weather or hot southern climates, and has some susceptibility to fungal diseases, aphids, Japanese beetles, and mealybugs. Enjoy its often purplish, bell-shaped flowers that add character to spots under trees, shady locations, woodlands, borders or natural settings.