Common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)

Common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is a plant in the annuals and biennials category that can grow 1.5m – 3m tall and 10cm – 50cm wide. In this growing guide we’ll learn the cultivation details and how to plant Common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea).

This plant has several common names including: common foxglove, bloody bells, bloody finger, cow flop, dead man’s bells, dead men’s bells, dog’s lugs, dragon’s mouth, fairy bells, fairy fingers, fairy gloves, fairy thimbles, fairy’s cap, fairy’s petticoat, fairy’s thimble, finger flower, flap dock, folk’s gloves, fox finger, gloves of Mary, lady’s fingers, lady’s gloves, lady’s thimble, lion’s mouth, lusmore, lustmore, pop dock, thimble finger, thimble flower, throat root, witches’ bells, witches’ fingers, witches’ gloves or witches’ thimbles.

This is a deciduous plant that takes 1-2 years to reach full maturity.

Plant profile

Common name: common foxglove, bloody bells, bloody finger, cow flop, dead man’s bells, dead men’s bells, dog’s lugs, dragon’s mouth, fairy bells, fairy fingers, fairy gloves, fairy thimbles, fairy’s cap, fairy’s petticoat, fairy’s thimble, finger flower, flap dock, folk’s gloves, fox finger, gloves of Mary, lady’s fingers, lady’s gloves, lady’s thimble, lion’s mouth, lusmore, lustmore, pop dock, thimble finger, thimble flower, throat root, witches’ bells, witches’ fingers, witches’ gloves, witches’ thimbles
Scientific name: Digitalis purpurea
Plant type: Annual / Biennial
Habit: Bushy
Height: 1.5m – 3m
Spread: 10cm – 50cm
Foliage: Deciduous
Sunlight: Full Sun, Partial shade
Soil: Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Moist but well drained, Well drained
Garden type: City & Courtyard Gardens, Coastal, Informal Garden, Wildflower meadow
Planting type: Flower borders and bedding
Other characteristics: Plants for pollinators

Seasonal colors

How to plant Common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) – RoxFuchs, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Annuals and biennials are ideal for formal or informal flower beds, but also for growing in pots and containers of all kinds. They are important plants for their rapid growth, instant color and relatively low cost.

They are also useful plants for filling spaces between newly planted trees and shrubs, as well as in perennial beds that may need to be revived after the first spring bloom.

They are an important ingredient in country house gardens and wildflower meadows.

How to plant

In this section we will learn how to plant Common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), know its needs in terms of soil, watering and sun exposure.

Soil

Common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is a plant that adapts to all types of soils, chalk, clay, loam or sand.

• The chalky soil is pale and contains chunks of calcium-rich rock. It is a fertile and well-draining soil, almost always alkaline.

• Clay soil is composed of more than 25 percent clay particles. These particles have a high moisture holding capacity and the soil is heavy to dig and can be waterlogged in winter (dry in summer).

• The loam soil is dark, rich in organic matter but balanced in minerals. It offers the best of all worlds, retaining enough water for the plants, but allowing excess moisture to drain away. This is the most desired type of garden soil, perfect for most plants.

• Sandy soil is light, porous and very easy to drain. It is a soil poor in organic matter and nutrients. It is composed of relatively large mineral particles that allow water to drain quickly.

It is not very sensitive to soil acidity or alkalinity and grows well in soils with pH acid, alkaline or neutral.

Regarding drainage, Digitalis purpurea likes to grow in moist but well drained or well drained soils.

Sunlight

Common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is a plant that should be grown in full sun or partial shade positions.

Cultivation profiles – Growing Common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) – Agnes Monkelbaan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons