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in Garden· Tips and Tutorials

9 Things You Want to Know About Foxgloves: Your Questions Answered

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How much do you know about foxgloves? I’ll answer some of the questions you may have about this fabulous flowering biennial and what you need to know about growing your own foxgloves in the garden.

foxgloves in front of the greenhouse -questions and answers

Foxgloves are a stunning flowering plant that looks gorgeous in any garden. But how much do you really know about them?


Affiliate links are used for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure here.

I’m a self-taught hobby gardener, not a Master Gardener. Everything I share with you on my blog is my personal opinion and things that worked for me along the way.


foxgloves in many colors in shopping carts

Last June I was pleasantly surprised when I made a trip to the grocery store and found a display of foxgloves just outside the doors.

I bought every last one of them. They were quite a deal from what I remember.

I had never grown these plants in my garden because I was a bit intimidated by them, especially because I heard they were a biennial which I didn’t know much about.


foxgloves in front of white picket fence and greenhouse -questions and answers

After bringing the cartload full of foxgloves home with me, I decided to do a bit of research, seeking answers to all the questions I had about growing them in my garden.

There was a lot to learn about this plant.


cream foxglove in front of greenhouse-questions and answers

Answers to Your Questions About Foxgloves

1. Are Foxgloves an Annual, Perennial, or Biennial?

Common foxgloves are biennial plants. This means that the plant takes two years to fully flower before finishing its life cycle. This is different from annuals which only last a single season or a perennial which comes back every year.

These plants live for 2 years. They bloom the second year and then seed freely. So if you plant foxgloves the first year, and then again the second, you should have blooms coming up each year.


foxglove in front of greenhouse -questions and answers

2. Do Foxgloves Self-Seed?

Foxgloves do self-seed abundantly by leaving the spent flower blooms as long as possible. If you cut the stalks of a spent foxglove and just lay them down in the garden, they will re-seed on their own.

If flowers are allowed to drop seeds, thin the seedlings next year to about 18 inches apart, which will allow the growing foxgloves room to develop.

Keep in mind that if you use foxgloves for cut flowers it will decrease reseeding.


pink foxgloves in front of white picket fence -questions and answers

3. Are Foxgloves Poisonous?

Yes, foxgloves are poisonous to both humans and animals.

Nothing on this plant should be digested including the flowers, leaves, and seeds. It is highly recommended that you wear gloves when handling the plant.

If you do decide to grow foxgloves in your garden, be sure to take precautions.

My dogs have never even gone near foxgloves but I still watch them closely when they are in the gardens where the plants are growing.

Plant foxgloves away from edible garden plantings.


fuchsia foxglove in the garden

4. What Type of Soil Do Foxgloves Need?

Foxglove plants grow best in rich, moist but well-draining soil. You can encourage the re-growth of foxglove flowers by not allowing the soil to dry out or to get too soggy.


5. When do Foxgloves Bloom?

They bloom for 2-3 months starting in late spring.


foxgloves in the garden

6. Are Foxgloves Medicinal Plants?

The foxglove plant is grown commercially for distillation of the heart medicine Digitalis. You can see more information about a group of medicines extracted from foxglove plants HERE.


foxglove in front of birdhouse and greenhouse

7. What Light Do Foxgloves Need to Thrive?

Foxgloves will thrive not only in full and part sunlight, but also in the shade depending on the summer heat.

They are hardy in gardening zones 4-10. In hotter areas, foxgloves like more midday and afternoon shade. The hotter the summers, the more shade the plant needs.


foxgloves in the cottage garden

8. How Tall Do Foxgloves Get?

Foxglove plants can grow to be up to 6′ tall depending on the variety which makes them perfect for planting towards the back of your garden to add height and interest.


pink foxglove in front of white picket fence

9. What Colors Do Foxgloves Come In?

Foxglove flowers are clusters of tubular-shaped blooms that come in shades of pink, rose, purple, lavender, yellow, white, peach, and even bi-color.


pink foxglove in the garden

I hope I’ve answered most of the questions you may have about foxgloves. They are complicated flowering plants but if you understand them, they can be fabulous flowers to have in the garden.

Leave a comment below with any comments or questions. I’d love to hear from you.

Until next time,

Happy Gardening!


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Your questions answered about foxgloves

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Comments

  1. stacy says

    05/15/2022 at 4:26 am

    Great post kim! I just planted some here and hope they take!

    Reply
  2. CoCo says

    05/10/2022 at 10:33 am

    I love foxgloves but I had NO IDEA they were poisonous to people and pets. Thanks so much for sharing that and for all these helpful tips. As always your garden is dreamy. I just love everything you plant and share. It lifts me up daily! Big hugs, CoCo

    Reply

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Meet Kim

Hi! I'm Kim. Welcome to my home & garden blog, Shiplap and Shells. We live in a small 1920 beach cottage in the Pacific Northwest and have spent the last 10 years renovating, reinventing, and adding character to our forever home. Read More…

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