What Types of Foxgloves Are Available?
There are many types of foxgloves available to grow in the garden. The common garden foxglove, Digitalis purpurea, is technically considered a biennial: It grows from seed one year, then blooms, sets seeds and dies the next. Many foxgloves, however, prosper for up to four years, often self-sowing. The downy oval leaves form a rosette on young plants that spreads until a flower spike appears in the second spring. Varieties abound in a range of colors and sizes. ‘Alba’ has pure white blossoms with dark speckles at the throats. ‘Excelsior’ hybrids offer a range of colors including pink and yellow. The fast-growing 24-inch (61 cm) tall ‘Foxy’ sometimes blooms the first year it’s planted from seed. A longer-lived perennial foxglove, D. grandiflora, has glossy foliage and buttery flowers with reddish speckles in the throat. It is hardy to Zone 5 and grows to about 2 feet (60 cm) tall. A new dwarf, ‘Carillon’ is only 12 inches (30.5 cm) tall and wide. Each type of foxglove comes with its own
