Description
This biennial plant is often grown as an ornamental plant due to its vivid flowers which range in colour from various purple tints through various shades of light gray, and to purely white. The flowers can also possess various marks and spottings.
Digitalis purpurea is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae, native and widespread throughout most of temperate Europe. It is also naturalised in parts of North America and some other temperate regions.
Plant Specifications
| Common Name | Foxgloves |
| Maximum Reachable Height | 2 to 5 feet |
| Flower Colour | Strawberry pink, white, or purple |
| Bloom Time | May to June |
| Difficulty Level | Easy to grow |
Planting and care
Caring for the foxglove plant should include keeping children and pets away, as all parts can be toxic when consumed. This may explain why deer and rabbits leave them alone. Hummingbirds are attracted by their nectar.
Digitalis spp. care
Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in part shade. Prefers moist, organically rich, acidic soils. Soil must not be allowed to dry out. A biennial or short-lived perennial which may be grown from seed sown directly in the garden in spring after threat of frost has passed for flowering the following year.
| Sunlight | Full Sun to Partial Shade |
| Watering | Medium |
| Soil | Well-drained soil |
| Temperature | 70 to 80 degrees C |
| Fertilizer | Apply any organic fertilizer |
Digitalis spp. special feature
Tall spires provide striking color and good architectural height to the border and are particularly effective in front of dark backgrounds such as those provided by a wall or shrubs. Also effective in woodland gardens or naturalized areas.
Digitalis spp. uses
Ornamental Use:
- The plant is used for ornamental purpose
Medicinal Use:
- Digoxin was approved for heart failure in 1998 under current regulations by the Food and Drug Administration on the basis of prospective, randomized study and clinical trials
- It is used to increase cardiac contractility (it is a positive inotrope) and as an antiarrhythmic agent to control the heart rate