Digitalis Mertonensis-"Strawberry Foxglove"

Anyone have any of this, and has it performed at a true perennial here in Texas??

I just love foxglove, but they really don't love Texas...

I have found one that has truly acted as a perennial, and just love my digitalis Thapsi.

I've also tried the rhemania elata, and although it died, I think it was more me, than the weather, so trying that one, again.

I saw the strawberry foxglove at Lowes yesterday, and it was a really healthy plant. One gallons were only 3.97, and the grower label said grown in Texas...

Really hoping they are going to truly be a perennial, and really hoping someone can vouch for that...
...anyone?

-T

I do them as a bienniel like hollyhocks. Plant in fall, they bloom in Spring, succomb to the heat, die, start again...LOL. While we may not have these as perennials here in Texas, they do perfrom and bloom well as bienniels. By the way, I have seed if your interested Taylor. Maybe they will be up your way...can you get hollyhocks to survive the summer? Then you probably can. They do them as biennials in Fla also--I see the pics posted over there every winter.
Debbie

Debbie-
Thank you for your input!

I went ahead and bought six of them to try...but thank you for the offer. I started some in the greenhouse, but think I started them way too late, and they aren't doing too well, lol...

I've got a lot of hollyhocks, and while a few of them seeded, and then died, most of mine have lived beyond their setting seeds subsequent winters, and are now on their fifth year!

That gives me hope! :0)

At 3.97 each, I didn't really feel like it was an expensive experiment, anyway, lol...I've been spending more than that on stuff I KNOW will die, lol...

I'm still going to remain hopeful, though...thanks for the encouragement.

-T

I can get hollyhocks to survive over summer IF I give them summer shade...but I like to move them around the garden.
Debbie

hm...I guess Houston and Plano are continually surprising me at their little differences...

My hollyhocks are baking like sunflowers, in my most hot, dry bed. I only water that bed when I have to water the nearby grass when it starts to suffer in August/Sept. I don't have a sprinkler system. That bed really just gets rainwater...

I tried some hollyhocks in another bed that gets shade after 4:00. They made a nice rosette, but have never, ever flowered...even after 5 years...a few of the others in that area, not only haven't flowered, but have completely disappeared...

My brother lives in Houston, and from the things he tells me survive and don't survive there, I think in general you in Houston lean on the hotter, and more humid tropical side of zone pushing, and we lean on the more cold zone pushing(like peonies, & stuff).
-T

-T

Its the humidity by Sept that gets alot of plants down here--more so than the heat, in my opinion Taylor---peonies impossible for me (hostas don't care much for my yard either--LOL). I just love hollyhocks, snaps, larkspur, strawberry foxglove, etc....You know you always lust for what's difficult to grow and a challenge!
Debbie

PS-that vine's doing great, by the way....I'll post you some picks when it starts to bloom. So far, its laughing at the humidity and heat!

Which vine did I send you?? I looked back through emails and couldn't find it...
I DID find however, that you had asked for 'white tx star hibiscus' and I sent red, oops! ...sorry!
I never saw the 'white' part, sorry...didn't even know there WAS a white version...
-T

This thread Taylor:
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/585514/

I kinda expected Calalily to be growing that vine too--but she never chimed in, so she must not. I wish it had a "street" name--LOL--I hate to continually type genus and species names! I'll post a pic on the vines and climbers forum this weekend....it's growing really fast and healthy too! It must love deep mulch. ;)

Debbie

There is a white Tx Star and its rather rare...which is probably why I want it! LOL

Oh, yes...THAT one, lol...

You'll probably end up with LOTS of blooms and LOTS of seeds...you'll be giving them as bonuses soon, too! lol...

"Snapdragon vine" pretty much is the "streetname" for the asarinas no matter what color they are..."creeping gloxinia" is another one...

I'll keep an eye out for the white one, now that I know...
-T

foxgloves have died miserable deaths in my landscape. too hot I guess. Kills me that they sell the plants in full bloom and people here buy them in droves!

I've been one of those!...sadly, I still cannot help myself, lol...

I've spent the money, and the time, to dig in plenty of 'foxy' that literally didn't last the month...

I still enjoyed every second of them, though...
-T

maybe it would help to know a little more about the plant's culture http://www.acornfarms.com/Digitalis.htm basing from what little i read from the link, some are planted in straight sun, some need shades. just trying to help a little.

I can grow them over the winter and they bloom pretty good in the spring before they croak...they are worth it, in my opinion, Talyor.
Debbie

Debbie --
I do the same with the holly hocks..basically what they grow up north in the spring, I grow in the winter here..starting the holly hocks this summer for next year...I was pretty successful in growing holly hocks in pots on the deck..they got up to 10 or so feet tall.. That way I could move them around...
Here is a pict - I think I will do the fox gloves too like that..good idear
http://davesgarden.com/journal/ed/viewimage.php?did=1522

rj

This message was edited May 5, 2006 6:54 PM

I got some hollyhocks from Kim and the RU, and I can't decide what to do with them. Should I leave them in a pot til fall and then plant? That way I can leave them in shade for the summer and move them to sun for cooler weather.

RJ-you never cease to amaze me! Those are great! Still waiting on mine...leaves 3' high. Mine never seem to bloom prior to May...and then I set them out late August and "coddle" them thru the heat. Mine are in the dirt, though.....still waiting! We are going to have to meet at the next Houston area event! Hopefully can show ya'll some blooms soon. Some are "black doubles" and single pinks; in full sun.
Debbie

Will be interesting if they bloom at the same time as the Texas Star's...Silver, its worth a try! Edited for the 3rd time...LOL...by the way RJ--that's part of my clerondendrum to the lower left.

This message was edited May 5, 2006 7:08 PM

This message was edited May 5, 2006 7:09 PM

Debbie, how many hollyhocks is that? That's not just one is it?

Silver--about 6 or maybe 7. They are "ringing" an old tree stump I want to hide.

Taylor--If you get any extra seed this year, I'll take a few (ever begging!LOL).
Debbie

Ok, well I have 3 in 4 " pots. If I keep them in pots, what size?

MaVie-
Thanks for your input. California zone 8 is a little different than Texas zone 8...we get colder and hotter than you and it can change from that cold to that hot in a few days, lol...very extreme, so what grows for most of zone 8, or 9 is always variable in TX...

Silverfluter-
They form a tap root, so best in the ground, (in my opinion)

Debbie-
Yes, I have extras! I have black, cerise, and plum from last year. They were all supposed to be variations of pink, lol...but, enjoyed them, anyway...hubby thought the black was disgusting, and threatened to pull them up MANY times, lol...
-T

well T, i do not know how much different u are from the upper desert of Ca. our winter goes down between 10-15ºF in the winter. and 110-118ºF in the summer. we are, at least in the area where i live is 4,000 ft. above sea level. almost every winter, we have snow on the ground. 2 yrs ago, we had 3 ft of snow and it took more than a week to melt down. summer is harsh due not only the heat, but due to lots of winds and sand storms. u are right, i do not know ur temperatures in TX. i am just aware of what i got locally.

plants are like people, they have different characteristics and origin, which is why i try to do research to learn more about the plant i add to my collections. i make sure, i can mimic the soil, atmosphere where the plant originate from or give it the best care i can give considering factors involve to grow such plants.

MaVie-
Well, sounds like you are much more similar than I thought!, lol...

So? Do strawberry foxgloves behave like true perennials for YOU?
-T

no, i do not know, i have not tried strawberry foxglove yet. i doubt though if it will make it here with all the strong winds we have around here. next time i take a trip to a local nursery, i surely will look around for one and give it a shoot. who know i might be lucky.

but when it comes to holly hocks, i plant them in straight sun and they are true perennials locally. i can still see some growing from the old place i used to live in todate. after leaving the place for nearly 4 yrs now.

edited for errors.

This message was edited May 5, 2006 10:12 PM

Oh Taylor...the plum. Can I trade you for anything? Like maybe some strawberry foxgloves?

Silver--they would probably be OK in the ground for you...it's the humidity and the associated w/humidy mildews and diseases that do them in for me. But once, about 7 years ago I manged to keep some alive and they did Superbly the second year too and then promptly croaked on me.

Debbie

Debbie-
Sure, lol...
-T

I'm glad I'm not the only one who succumbs to foolish desire. I've tried a couple of times to grow foxglove with no such luck. Just a couple of weeks ago, I bought another at Walmart and stuck it in the ground. Maybe I ought to do what Randy does and try it in a pot on the patio--never really thought about that.

I have been growing a pereniel variety of Foxglove, Spanish Peaks (Digitalis thapsi). They are smaller than regular Foxglove but they take heat and return.

Wow those are really nice Siggy. Tell us your secrets!

That's the cool part there is no secret. I bought them from High Country Nursery.

Are they getting some shade in summer? Did you get the plants established in the fall? Where in the state are you located (lot's of Gulf Coast humidity?). I can start from seed in Aug, get them through and have them bloom in spring, but beyond June-July...they don't make it for me. But I bet if I could, they would bloom even better the second year.
Debbie

Siggy-
Great picture!

Thapsi is one of the two I mention in my very first post. They can take a lot more sun than regular foxglove. Mine is is bud, but hasn't bloomed, yet.
I love them. And, I wish I had started more of them from seed.

I'll post a pic, when they open up
-T

They are on the east facing side of my house. I bought them as small plants and they did only so so the first year. The catalog said they grow to one foot which thet did the first year. mine are now two and a half feet tall.

Ah, that's it. The "east side canyon" as I refer to it in the 'suburbs'.

Mine only gets about 4 or less than 4 hours of sun a day...very early morning. I had some dwarf cannas in mine, which I decided I didn't like cannas enough to take up valuable space with, and dug them out. Now I've got some bush beans there just to take up space and they like the shade. Hhhmmmm....now I'm thinking 'Northern perennial border'. Maybe the hollyhocks could make it there too. Thanks Siggy.
Debbie

Hey guys,

I just joined the site. Found it while doing a search on the Strawberry Foxgloves. I bought two at Walmart yesterday. They will be in a pot on the patio with some morning sun and shade the rest of the day. Hope they work out for me. Think I'll try the Hollyhocks also. I'll keep ya posted.

scoolie

Scoolie-
Welcome to Daves!
You will love it here. Glad you joined. I'm right down the road in Plano.
Happy gardening! ...(and virtual gardening, lol)
-Taylor

My Hollyhocks are over nine feet tall this year.

Here's a close up.

Welcome Scoolie! I am up in McKinney too.

The strawberry foxgloves really are the thing this year. Lowes, Walmart, and Calloways have them. I spoke with my friend earlier today and she just bought some from Calloways today. Of course the tag said "full sun" and thats where she placed them. I advised her that she might want to move them in the shade a bit. I will will try to add her experience here as they go along.

Staci-
Did YOU pick up any to try?? I would think since you are north of me, you should have an even better chance at them...


I have purchased about 10 and I put some in sun and some in part sun. Most of them I put in east sun, but a few I thought I'd try in sun.

I did this because the thapsi is perennial and does so much better in the sun, that I figured if the strawberry truly is perennial, it might like the sun more, too.

It is all a guess and a gamble, but sure would be great if they came back.

Even if they don't, I'll still really enjoy them in bloom...
-T

No. I bought some foxglove last year from Lowes and they suffered in a morning sun bed. I think they might have been these, but I can't remember for sure. Maybe when I have a good spot for them, I will try again, but not until then.