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How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Foxglove Flowers
Foxglove is a stately flower with tall, elegant spikes covered in bell-shaped blossoms beloved by hummingbirds and bumblebees. It’s also rabbit- and deer-resistant. Learn more about growing foxglove.
About Foxgloves
Common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is a biennial or short-lived herbaceous perennial in most regions, although there are hybrids that grow in flower in year one. It is hardy in zones 4-9.
In its first year, the plant simply forms a rosette and foliage; in the second year, the plant grows a 3 to 5-foot spike covered in 20 to 80 small downward-facing, tubular flowers in purple, pink, or white.
Each flower tube has a small lip on which bumblebees can land to access the nectar at the base of the tube. Hummingbirds may also visit the flowers.
The flower blooms from late spring through midsummer and then dies. Therefore, for continuous blooms, plant it for two consecutive years. Or, look for varieties that flower in Year 1.
Foxgloves are gorgeous in tall borders or background plantings and also look attractive against a background such as a building or a fence. They make excellent cut flowers.
Be aware that foxglove also self-seeds prolifically. In some places, it’s considered an invasive plant. Deadhead after flowering to avoid an excess number of seedlings, or reconsider planting foxglove.
Is Foxglove Poisonous?
Yes. Foxglove is poisonous, although recorded poisonings from this plant are very rare. The plant contains digitalis and other cardiac glycosides. These chemicals affect the heart. To be poisoned from foxglove, you would need to eat the seeds, stems, or leaves, or suck the flowers.
Growing
- Keep soil moist.
- Add a thin layer of compost around the plant each spring.
- Stake tall varieties to keep the flower stalks upright.
- Cut the center flower stalk back after flowering for a chance for additional flower stalks to develop later in the season.
- Leave the flower stalk on the plant if you want it to reseed, as well as to attract birds to the garden in the fall.
Catherine Boeckmann
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It hasn't overwintered here in Minnesota. Must use annual variety. Self seeding is not equivalent to biennial.
Very happy
Digitalis is a very useful plant that is still used to treat heart ailments. Three main glycosides can be extracted from it : digitoxin, digoxin, and ouabain. They differ in their half-lives, from longest to shortest, respectively, though digoxin ( brand name Lanoxin) is the one most commonly available in the US. The mechanism of action is at the Na-K ATP'ase receptor. It is used for its inotropic effect to strengthen heart contractility in heart failure as well as to control heart rate in supraventricular arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation. The effect of digitalis can be seen on an ECG as ST coving commonly referred to as dig effect. An overdose can on the other hand produce practically any kind of arrhythmia (proarrhythmia). The earliest sign of overdose clinically can be a feeling of weakness.
Digitalis leaves were still being used in the 1960s/1970s as a tablet, noticeably being green and looking like it was made from leaves. Now, though, it has been replaced by digoxin extracted from the leaves (a white tablet) which is easier to standardise for a dosage which is safer. Natural plant products are greatly influenced in content depending on the weather.
