Grecian Foxglove, Woolly Foxglove (Digitalis lanata)

Grecian Foxglove - Seward, Alaska - August 2001

That is a lovely foxglove Weezin. Is it a perennial? I am after building my collection of perennial foxgloves next year!

Psilo: I didn't grow this foxglove, but Ceeads did. She lives down the road from here and is a member of Dave's, though an infrequent participant. She was unable to collect seed, or I would have grown it this year. It seems to be listed as both biennial and perennial, so I guess it depends on your climate. I found this site for seeds: http://www.mr-fothergills.co.uk/acatalog/index.html?http%3A//www.mr-fothergills.co.uk/acatalog/digitalis_seed.html&CatalogBody

Last spring I started x. martonensis, grandiflora, parviflora, and lutea, but no seeds as yet. I'll check my seed packets to see what's left from the seeds I ordered & let you know.

Thanks for that Weezin

D lanata is a true perennial but it is (like most foxgloves) short lived, this one needs full sun and very well drained soil. All the perennial foxgloves we have come into the cool greenhouse over winter, even though they are hardy here, they hate the level of rainfall we get.

Well, then, Baa, they'd sure hate the level of rainfall we get here! I think this would be a potted plant here, as Ceeads planted them. They must bloom the first year if started early, eh?

We grow them as potted plants, the drainage here is less than satisfactory for such primadonnas.

I've never known a perennial foxglove to flower first year from seed regardless of how early it's sown, in fact I've known them not to bloom for 2-3 years from seed, they like to bulk up on leaves, which happened this year for me. That's not to say that they never flower from seed first year but it would be very unusual for them to do so.

I wonder how Ceeads got hers? It flowered the year I took these pictures, and I can't recall her mentioning it the year before. One could assume she bought the plant, but our closest nurseries of any size are 120 miles away. I'll make a note to ask her.

Foxgloves here always seem to bloom the first year from seed for me. Maybe I am just lucky. I plant them in the fall, they sleep through winter then BAM the first hint of warmth and they grow like mad.

CoyoteSpirit: If they germinate and come up in the fall, then technically the following spring is their second year. If the seed doesn't germinate until spring, then its their first year. The variety 'Foxy', a shorter type, is advertised to bloom the first year if started early indoors. With your warm climate, it may be the same as starting them indoors. What kind did you plant?