Foxglove's  tend to be medium sized plants with many containing poisons, with basal leaves in rosettes giving rise to tall leafy spikes of flowers in mid to late summer.  Leaves are simple, mostly entire some what hairy in most species and  several times longer than wide. Inflorescence (flowering stems and flowers)  erect with alternate leaves and numerous flowers held mostly on one side of the stems.  Flower corolla is campanulate or tubular shaped. There are around 21 species Native to Europe, North West Africa, and Central Asia.

All the Foxgloves are ornamental and look good in the garden or naturalized in a field or damp meadows or along wood edges.  Most species are tolerant of a wide range of soils as long as they are not overly wet or dry. Plants are native to dry soils so they are drought tolerant. Plants the first year produce a rosette of leaves and begin to bloom the second year. Most of the foxgloves grown in gardens come from the biannual species. But the perennial species have been show an interest by gardeners in the last few years. Many of the biennial species have  short lived perennial populations that should provide some extended life to the biennials   I expect to see over the next few years more plants breed to live and bloom for more than one year.
These are popular plants and are useful as cut flowers.

Plants should be planted in moist but well drained soil in full sun or part shade, cutting off the flower spikes as they finish blooming will promote a second flush of flowers on smaller spikes. Plants if in a good spot will self seed, I find some of the perennial species growing in other pots but have had none of the biennials self seed for me thought they do for many people.

The name Digitalis means "finger" and it was once believed that foxes put them on there feet to raid the chicken coop - so that they would not leave a trace (leaving no foot prints).
 

PROBLEMS:

All parts of the plant may cause severe discomfort if eaten, contact with the foliage may irritate the skin. Plants are effected by Southern blight, anthracnose, Fungal leaf spots,

Digitalis is an example of a cardio-active or cardiotonic drug, in other words a steroid which
has the ability to exert a specific and powerful action on the cardiac muscle in animals, and has
been used in the treatment of heart conditions ever since its discovery in 1775.  Over 3 million Medicare beneficiaries were estimated to be using  digitalis in 1987.

These plants are said to repel deer?

Aphids and Beetles, including rose chafer and Japanese beetle, feed
on Foxglove.

PROPAGATION:

Seeds germinate in ten days at 65-75F.  ><180,000 seeds per once.  Do not cover seed, light helps germination. Perennials species can be divided in spring or midsummer after flowering.
 

Below is the current list of plants that I know that are in cultivation.

Digitalis amandia = D. purpurea
Digitalis amandiana = D. purpurea
Digitalis ambigua = D. grandiflora
Digitalis canariensis = Isoplexis canariensis
Digitalis cariensis
Digitalis ciliata
Digitalis davisiana
Digitalis dubia
Digitalis eriostachya = D. lutea
Digitalis ferruginea
Digitalis floribunda?
Digitalis fontanesii
Digitalis grandiflora
Digitalis grandiflora SUBSPECIES peloponnese
Digitalis kishinskyi = D. parviflora
Digitalis laevigata
Digitalis lamarkii syn  D.orientalis
Digitalis lanata
Digitalis leucophae
Digitalis lutea
Digitalis micrantha
Digitalis x macedonica = viridiflora x laevigata subsp. graeca
Digitalis x mertonensis = D.grandiflora x D. purpurea
Digitalis miniana = D. purpurea
Digitalis nervosa
Digitalis x purpurascens = D. lutea x D. purpurea
Digitalis obscura
Digitalis orientalis = D. grandiflora
Digitalis parviflora
Digitalis purpurea
Digitalis purpurea FORM albiflora
Digitalis purpurea SUBSPECIES heywoodii
Digitalis schischkinii
Digitalis thapsi
Digitalis trojana
Digitalis viridiflora
Digitalis x grandiflora 'John Innes Tetra'

    Digitalis have a great vertical effect in the garden with classic charm.  The really ornamental forms of D. purpurea are showy and put on one of the best floral displays around. D. purpurea has many different seed strains that have been around for a number of years., these include those listed below.

    Digitalis purpurea  =  A classic BIENNIAL that  grows leaves and roots the first year and flower the second year and then die after setting seed.  Start seeds early so that you get the biggest plants possible. Or if you want smaller plants start later in the year and keep plants crowded. Plant out  in late summer were you want them to grow or grow them in pots.  Seed started in late summer  or fall might not bloom  the next year but the next year.
This species is very variable with many different forms in the wild , they are native to South West and Western Europe, are hardy in zones 4-8 and grow from 3-6 feet tall.
    D. purpurea tends to have one sided, tall flowering spikes with tubular flowers of purple, pink or white.  The flowers are spotted or blotched inside with maroon or purple. sow annually for yearly displays, plants some times self sow and some times are short lived perennials. cut flower spike off to promote a second weaker flush of flowering.   This species Make's a very showy cut flower. Hummingbirds will feed on them.  flowers from early summer to mid summer. The true species is pink with heavy mottled flowers.  The leaves are wrinkled and softly hairy, large and broad, Having long stems (petioles) becoming sessile (with out stems) as they progress up the flowering  stems.  There are perennial forms in the wild from south west Europe  and Corsica.
For best flower display -water well but do not water log the soil. Plants are found on acidic soils in woods and on rocky slopes.  Plants bloom in June to september.  Plants are easy to grow in all soils except pure limestone.

Digitalis purpurea (COMMON foxglove)  seed strains. seed germinates in 7-15 days at 70 degrees F. do not cover seed, light is helpful to germination.

Digitalis purpurea form alba or albiflora :Gorgeous white form

Digitalis purpurea ssp. mariana - Deep green leaves formed in rosettes, the foliage is hairy and evergreen.  Compact stems with dark rose red flowers reaching 12-18 inchs tall ,  that are produced in flushes during the summer. A drought tolerant, perennial form of the common foxglove.  Flowers are glabrous outside, native to south central Portugal and north east Portugal.  Plants are found growing on rocky slopes and dry plains. flowering in summer. Smaller plants with a good color and tending to be perennial, a good choice to try in the garden.

D. amandiana = This is a form of  D. purpurea from Portugal and Spain that has long lasting pink to strawberry colored flowers. Zones (5) 6-9.

D. purpurea 'APRICOT BEAUTY' = Pastel shades of apricot with some spotting on 3.5 feet to 48"  tall. Makes a nice cut flower. zones 4-10. One of the best for the deep south. 325,000 seeds per oz.

D. purpurea 'DWARF SENSATION' =     Three to four feet tall with three inch long flowers packed densely into the flowering spike.

D. purpurea? 'CARILLON' = Very dwarf plants growing 16" tall. Plants have smaller yellow bell shaped flowers. Said to be an outstanding smaller garden plant.

D. purpurea 'EXCELSIOR' =    Three to four or even five feet tall with flowers carried almost horizontal thus revealing the showy spotting and dots.  whites, Soft yellow, pinks, darker rose.  great as a cut flower. zones 4 -8. 180,000 seeds per oz.

D. purpurea 'DWARF EXCELSIOR' = Sold as a mixture of colors on 20-24" tall plants.

D. purpurea 'FOXY' =  "All  American Winner" This plant some times acts like a annual blooming 5-6 months after sowing.   Plants grow 36" tall and come in shades of carmine, red, pink, creamy yellow and white. Solid colors with  flowers heavily spotted with maroon dots.  zone 4-8, 200,000 seeds per oz.

D. purpurea 'GLITTERING PRIZES ' =  comes in a wide range of colors and grows 4-6 feet tall. zones 4-8. plants have spotted and blotched mouths.

D. purpurea 'GIANT SHIRLY' =     sny p. gloxiniaeflora 'THE SHIRLEY'  Has huge, long bell shaped flowers of white, shell pink, rose and darker rose. Plants grow 3 to 5 feet tall and have crimson or chocolate spotting. This foxglove is a very showy one grown in pots.

D. purpurea? 'GELBA LANZE' = "Yellow Spear"  A form from Europe with pale yellow flowers. Hybrid origin?

D. purpurea 'GLOXINIODES' = Salmon pink, creamy yellow ,purple and pink flowers that are wide open and have a frilly marginated mouth.  Lots of spots and blotches in the mouth of this flower. Plants grow 5-6 feet tall.

D. purpurea ‘ISABELINA’ = Produces a multitude of fabulous huge, clear primrose corollas. A Biennial that grow 4 feet tall.

D. purpurea 'PAM'S CHOICE ' - This is a selection form Parks Seed/Wayside gardens.  White flowers of good size with deep maroon throats and maroon spots and blotches.  Plants grow 3-4 feet tall and are said to come true from seed if isolated from other colors. looks like a nice color addition to this group of plants with densely crowded flowering spikes.

D. purpurea 'PELORIC' = sny p. campanulata.  Huge open faced flower up to 2" across crowded into a short dense spike. said to be some what like a "Canterbury Bell' like bloom.  flowers much larger but lacking the nice "fox glove" shape. 4-6 feet tall.  Zones 4 -8.

D. purpurea 'PRIMROSE CAROUSEL ^tm' = A seed selection producing short 30' tall plants with primrose -yellow flowers that have nice speckled rusty red throat spots.  Plants are said to have flowers spaced a little more evenly around the stem than other forms.  From Thompson & Morgan seeds in England.  Is 'GIANT PRIMROSE' the same plant?

D. purpurea 'SUTTON'S APRICOT' = Has apricot pink flowers. Might be the same as D. p 'APRICOT"

Digitalis cariensis = Plants grow 24" tall and have compact spikes of medium  to small yellow flowers.  From  Turkey.

Digitalis davisiana = A Perennial  with linear lance shaped leaves.  Leaf edges finely toothed and leaves hairless and mid green in color. Plants have pale yellow flowers that are 1.5" long with orange to purple veining and having a protruding lower lip that ia hairy. Blooming in early summer on 30 to 40" tall racemes. Native to turkey and hardy in zones 8-10.

Digitalis dubia = A perennial species with wrinkled, lance shaped, dark green leaves in rosettes that have white woolly undersides. Flowers are born on 10 to 18" stalks and are purplish pink or off white  with lots of spots in side.  flowering in early summer( June ). Plants are native from Spain.  Zones 8-10.

Digitalis eriostachya = Plants grow 36" tall and 8 to 12" wide and is the tallest of the small  yellow flowered foxgloves. said to be a good perennial that can be grown in sun or light shade. Use in the wild flower garden or as a border plant to give you some tall spikes of soft yellow. Plants have textured rosettes of  almost glabrous dark green leaves, softly hairy.  Tubular yellow flowers. Might be the same as D. Lutea but with softer flower colors. Should be hardy from zones 4-8.

Digitalis ferruginea =  (RUSTY FOXGLOVE) dij-i-TAH lis  fe-roo-GIN-ee-a.    A robust growing biennial or short lived perennial from South East Europe to Turkey and Lebanon and the Caucasus.  Growing in open woods and in grassy clearings or on rocky slopes and road sides.   Dark green leaves growing in rosettes are lance shaped.   flowers are golden brown, 1.5 inches long with red brown veins.  Plants bloom in mid summer. Hardy in zones (4) 5-7.  Four feet tall and 18 inches wide with leafy bracts on the flowering spikes. For well drained dry soils in full sun or part shade. Some strains have reddish colored flowers. Makes an impressively distinct background planting.  More pictures: ^one  , ^two ,

D. ferruginea 'Gigantea'- This form has larger flowers that are yellowish brown and grows to 4-5 feet tall.
D. ferruginea 'Kirk Island' - This plant has pure yellow flowers and grows 3-5 feet tall.
D. ferruginea 'Yellow Herald' - "Gelber Harold".  or "Herald's Yellow" - Plants are 4-5 feet tall and have yellow flowers on sturdy stems. Blooms in June and is hardy in zones 5-9.
D. ferruginea? 'Gelba Lanze'  = "Yellow Spear"  A form from Europe with pale yellow flowers. I have been informed that this should belong here, by some one that knows more about it than me. Any one have seed they want to trade or sell so that I can make sure? It looks like it might be a hybrid?
 
Digitalis fontanesii  - Much like  D. grandiflora  but more compact growing with  medium yellow flowers with a long flowering season. 1 to 1.5 feet tall and one foot wide.

Digitalis grandiflora (YELLOW FOXGLOVE) dij-i-TAH-lis grand-di-FLO-ra    This plant is clump forming and a short lived  perennial or some times biennial.  Leaves are finely toothed with prominent veins, mostly hairless ( I have had forms with densely hairy leaves too) and often glossy. Leaves are also mid green in color and 5-10 inches long, narrow to triangular shaped.  Flowers are large- about 1.5 to 2 inches long -  well spaced on the stems and prominently located on on side of the stems and pale yellow in color with brown veins inside (some forms have no veining).  blooming time is early and midsummer. Flowers are downward facing with wide mouths.  These plants are attractive and showy in the open woodland or on a grassy slope.  Many forms are long lived in the garden.  This foxglove grows 2-3 feet tall and 18" wide.  Native to Southern Europe to Siberia and Turkey. Found in open woodlands.   Zones 3-8.  Grow from seeds planted in a warm humid container 75F. or make divisions in spring or after flowering. I think that this plant is best grown as a
biennial, Just collect seed and start a few new plants every year. Plant in bright shade or sun.

D.grandiflora 'Temple Bells'  is a larger flowering cultivar of this species.
D.ambigua (grandiflora) 'Carillon' = A dwarf seed strain that grows 12" tall and has smaller yellow flowers, may bloom the first year. may also have perennial tendencies or act as an annual.
Digitalis x grandiflora 'John Innes Tetra' = A cross between  D. lanata and D. grandiflora. tetraploidy hybrid with nice looking foliage and rose colored flowers.
 

Digitalis laevigata  Clump forming perennials native to the western and Central Balkans - Albania; Bulgaria; Greece; Yugoslavia . Plants are hairless with odovate shaped leaves and mid green colored basal leaves.  flowers are on loose racemes and are held straight out  horizontally from the stems.  Flowers are brownish yellow in color and 1.5 inches long, the lower lip of the flowers are white in color and reddish brown veins and speckles  fill the mouth of the flowers. Flowering occurs in mid summer on 3 foot tall plants that are 18" wide. This species does best on limestone soils and in a open wood land setting.  In the wild plants from the northern part of it's range tend to have larger flowers than the plants from the southern part of it's range which have flowers  .5-.75 inches long.  Zones 7-9.

Digitalis laevigata  subsp.   graeca : Flowers are apricot bronze with white lips and red veins.  This plant has many smaller flowers than the species with fine basal foliage.  30" tall. Plants are native to Thessaloniki southwards. Plants like a warm well drained soil.

Digitalis lamarkii =  syn D. orientalis.  I do not know if this is a valid species.  Plants are from Turkey and are found growing in dry  rocky valleys or in open forest and scrub.  Plants start flowering in May and can be found blooming till August.  Plants rise from a woody rootstock forming a tufted rosette on linear leaves 8" long  0.3" wide.  Plants have leaf like sepals and are glandular pubescent. Flowers are 1" long with hairy outsides and are whitish in color with reddish dots and veins or even orange throats.  Flowers have a protruding rounded lower lip that hangs downward. Flowers are well spaced on thick stems. native to Turkey.

Digitalis lanata  (GRECIAN FOXGLOVE or WOOLLY FOXGLOVE) A clump forming biennial or perennial native to Italy, the Balkans, Hungary and Turkey.  Leaves are mid green and lance shaped growing to 5 inches long, hairless on their undersides and sometimes white woolly on the veins and having toothed margins.  flowers are born in racemes with leafy bracts and are densely packed,  blooming from the bottom up wards.  Flowers are light or pale yellow cream  or more generally light gray-brown or almost white, 1.5 inches long with brown or brown-violet veins and a lighter colored lower lip.  The lower lip of the flower is longer  than other parts of the flower and drops downward.  Flowers woolly pubescent.  Stems are many times reddish brown with many leaves.    Plants bloom in mid to late summer and grow 24" tall and 10" wide and are evergreen were happy.  This species is the source of a cardiac drug called Lanatacide and like all other species of Foxgloves- produces other glycosides.  Zones 4-9. or 7-9? (I could use some help here?)

Digitalis lutea   (STRAW FOXGLOVE or YELLOW FOXGLOVE) dij-i-TAH-lis loo-TEE-a    Plants have dark green glossy leaves that are hairless with serrate teeth.  Stems grow 24" tall and produce a large number of small light yellow flowers that are one inch long.  Plants repeat bloom if dead headed and bloom well in a semi shady spot.  I like this little plant for it's long life and neat tidy appearance with the flowers hanging down from the tall stems. Plants grow into clumps and have a graceful habit.  They bloom in mid summer. This foxglove does well in lime alkaloid soils but I have had good success in lightly acid soils too. The roots of this plant are well branched. Division is easy in mid summer and so is seed.  Native to south west central Europe to Italy and Spain and on the coast of North west Africa.  Zones 3-9.

Digitalis lutea VAR. australis - Has smaller flowers but in most respects is the same as the species.  Plants are native from the southern most tip of Italy, the flowers are packet into dense masses of small  gray yellow corollas that are tubular in shape. Small flowers, but a good number are produced. Rare. Plants grow 2.5 feet tall.

Digitalis lutea subsp. lutea -  This  species from west and central Europe has attractive small pale yellow flowers with  flared tubular corollas.  Flower spikes tend to have a hanging tendency during blooming. Clump forming plants that grow 3 feet tall. Perennial.

Digitalis floribunda? = I will put this here for now. Plants have spikes of unspotted sulpher yellow flowers like a larger version of D. lutea.  flowers are 1.5" long and plants grow 24" tall.

Digitalis x mertonensis = D. grandiflora x D. purpurea. These plants result from a inter specific cross and are clump growing perennials with glossy dark green leaves.  Leaves are prominently veined and  are toothed. Leaves are 3-12" long and have lightly hair undersides.  Flowers are pinkish buff or salmon pink or some what reddish pink (strawberry).  Flowers are large and showy and stand out. Flowers are 2.5 inches long and are born in late spring and early summer.  flowering stems are up to three feet tall and plants grow 12" wide or so.  Plants come true from seed and are of garden origin and have evergreen foliage. grow in moist but well draining soils that are not to rich in part shade. Makes a great cut flower too.  Plants are the result of a colchicine  treatment in the mid twenties resulting in a tetraploidy hybrid species. Zones 3-8.

Digitalis micrantha = From southern Italy.  Plants have compact spikes of light pale yellow flowers almost like D. lutea but with multiple stems per plant.

Digitalis thapsi = Native to eastern Portugal and Spain.  Plants have branched flowering stems with light purplish pink flowers that are pubescent (soft hairs) on the out side. Foliage is dotted with yellowish glandular hairs. Similar to D. purpurea, except foliage covered with yellow glandular hairs, thus appearing softly woolly.  A seed strain calle 'Spanish Peaks' produces 12-18 inch spikes of raspberry-rose colored flowers. This 1999 plant select winner is hardy in zones 5-9.  

Digitalis  trojana = This  species is from Turkey and has very lance-shaped foliage with densely silver/white furry flower spikes, giving an overall silvery appearance. The white to carmel colored flowers are veined  green, with a long,bright white tongue. Grow in cool, dry well draining light shade. Clump-forming perennials grow 3 to 4 feet tall.

Digitalis x purpurascens =  this plants is a natural hybrid between D.lutea and D. purpurea. this plant is reported in Belgium, Germany and spain.  stems are much branched and growing to 3.5 feet tall.   flowers are 1.5 inches long with wide open spreading mouths  and bloom in June to August.  Flower color is light tannish yellow with a few dots in side. flowers are born in tightly packed clusters.
D. 'Glory of Rounday' = A garden hybrid? by D. lutea x D. x mertonensis. this plant looks like the above plant except it has larger flowers. Soft gray pink flowers.  Plants are sterile. Forms a  vigorous clump and is fully perennial. Plants grow 4-5 feet tall. .

Digitalis obscura = Plants are native to eastern to southern Spain and Northern Africa.  This species is found growing in open woods often on limestone outcroppings.  Plants bloom in May to July. Plants have branched  shrubby stems up to 40" tall. (one source lists plants with stems only 10" tall) Leaves are hairless and leaves are lance shaped with some plants having linear leaves, gray green in color and entire, 3-6 inches long. Flowers are rust brown to yellow, or orange yellow in color.  Flowers are 1" long and have red veins and red spottings in side.   Racemes are nodding at the top. Plants grow from 15" to 50" tall, 18" wide and bloom in late spring to midsummer. This species has been called difficult to grow but if its requirements of good drainage, (especialy in the winter and spring) and full sun are meet, it should form a sensational evergreen sub-shrub in the rock garden or along a rocky path.  Zones 4-8.

Digitalis parviflora =  "Mahogany Foxgloves"  Heavy foliage of ferruginea, but dense leafy spikes.  This species is a perennial from Northern Spain  and grows into nice clumps with Dense racemes of dark (chocolate) orangeish brown flowers or petite brownish purple flowers.  flowers are .5 to .75 inches long and have a purple brown lower lip. Leaves are dark green, thick nd leather like and softly hairy,  with entire or slightly toothed margins.  This species blooms in late spring or early summer. Plants grow 24" tall and 12" wide. Zones 4-9.

Digitalis schischkinii = A nice looking plant with small rusty mudy-brown flowers on spikes that are 3-5 feet tall.

 Digitalis viridiflora =  I would assume that the "Foxglove" flowers of this species would be green  or greenish yellow in color- due to it's name. But I am just making a guess here. From the Balkans found growing in open woodlands. Flowers are greenish-yellow and are veined.  Plants produce many spikes of 1/2 to 1 inch flowers that are densly packed on the spikes which grow  2-3 feet tall. Leaves have short hairs.

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