A biennial or short-lived perennial up to 1.2m high with overwintering rosettes of grey-green leaves, and several spikes of white flowers, spotted and blotched maroon inside, the corolla split rather than fused as in most foxgloves, in early summer
1-1.5 metres
0.1-0.5 metres
| Season | Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | ||||
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Grow in moist but well-drained humus-rich soil in light dappled shade, for example in a mixed bed or an open woodland garden, and add organic mulch; native foxgloves are usually found in the wild on acidic soils, but they can also grow on neutral soils and tolerate slightly alkaline soils. See foxglove cultivation for further advice
Propagate by seed, sown in spring; it will self-seed, but may not come true unless plants have been grown in isolation
No pruning required, but deadheading, cutting down dead flowering stems, will encourage growth the following year
May be susceptible to aphids and leaf and bud eelworm
May be susceptible to powdery mildews, downy mildews and leaf spot