Digitalis purpurea subsp. heywoodii 'Silver Fox'

RHS Plant Profile
foxglove 'Silver Fox'

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foxglove 'Silver Fox' RHS / Joanna Kossak
foxglove 'Silver Fox' RHS / Joanna Kossak

Synonyms

Digitalis 'Silver Fox'

Plants for pollinators
Annual Biennial
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'Silver Fox' is a biennial or short-lived perennial forming a rosette of lance-shaped, downy, silvery, greyish-green leaves. Upright flowers spikes to around 70cm tall arise from the basal rosette in summer with creamy-white flowers flushed with pink and lightly-speckled throats

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1–2 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing or North–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H5

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Plantaginaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Semi evergreen
Habit
Columnar upright
Potentially harmful
TOXIC if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling TOXIC to pets - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Genus
Digitalis can be biennials or usually short-lived perennials forming a rosette of simple leaves with bell-shaped flowers in slender, erect, usually one-sided racemes
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in almost any soil, but avoid very wet or very dry positions. Prefers a humus-rich soil in partial shade but will grow in full sun. See foxglove cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Coastal
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Deadhead after flowering unless seed is required

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids and leaf and bud eelworm

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews, downy mildews and leaf spot