Crazy for foxglove
I don’t know if you’ve noticed but many more garden centers have really nice foxglove plants this spring. Foxglove has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity the last few years. It is a colorful plant with good height and spectacular flowers that is very dramatic as a backsplash for smaller plants.
First of all, I should say that if you are seeing foxgloves with blooms, you will go at least a year without any flowers. The plant is a biennial but even the leaves are very nice between blooming years. Colors include pink, red, lavender, purple and yellow. Purple is said to be the dominate color, however, so even if your plant is pink the first time, it might come back purple.
Bees and hummingbirds love them. In our area, they need part sun to full shade since they don’t really like as much heat as we get in the afternoon.
Plants are easily grown from seed but will self seed after the first year.
Foxglove has been around for a very long time. Eighteenth century English physician Dr. William Withering discovered the plant as digitalis and explored the plant’s potential to save lives, which it still does today.
But it also makes a showpiece in your garden with its long, trumpet shaped flowers standing tall. I bought two plants this year and hope to sow some seed too. They look outstanding in my garden and I know they will in yours too!
Congratulations to the Cabarrus County Master Gardeners who won a state award at the State Master Gardener Conference. This award was given for the herb festival held every year.
