Skip to content

Digitalis purpurea

Foxglove

Common names: Red Foxglove, Common Foxglove, Forest Bell

Foxglove

This description was machine-translated.

Description

The red foxglove produces tall spikes of purple bell-shaped flowers in June and July, favoring woodland edges and partially shaded beds. It is a favorite of bumblebees. As a biennial, it blooms in its second year and reliably self-seeds thereafter. It is highly poisonous in all parts and should be kept out of reach of children.

Care instructions

Sow the seeds in summer (June, week 25) as a light scatter, pressing them lightly into the soil. It prefers partially shaded sites with humus-rich, fresh soil. Water during dry periods. Leave some seed heads after flowering so the plant can reseed each year. Wear gloves when pruning and wash hands afterward, as the sap can irritate the skin.

Soil & site

Soil pH

4.0pH 5.5–6.58.0

Soil type

humus-rich, well-drained, moist, lime-avoiding

LightPartial shade
HardinessHardy
Water needMedium

Feeding

Medium feeder

Companion planting

Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.

Diseases & pests

1 relevant

From the knowledge base, automatically linked by affected species. How to spot and prevent them is covered in full in the lexicon.

DeficiencymediumMay–Sep
Drought stress (water shortage)

Wassermangel

Drought stress arises when plants cannot take up enough water over a longer period, usually during persistent heat with no rain.

More on Drought stress (water shortage)

Notes from real gardens

What other gardeners have written down about this variety, anonymous and voluntary.

No notes shared yet. Will you be the first to write one down?

If you want to write your own notes, sign in or create an account.