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.

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

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