Buy foxglove Digitalis × mertonensis

Digitalis × mertonensis

foxglove

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Position: full sun to partial shade
Soil: moist, humus-rich soil
Rate of growth: average to fast-growing
Flowering period: May to June
Flower colour: carmine-pink
Hardiness: fully hardy

This striking and robust short-lived perennial that is a hybrid between the pink flowered D. purpurea and the yellow flowered D. grandiflora. The resulting plant produces bell-shaped flowers in late spring and early summer, which are an intriguing mix of the two shades.

All parts of the plant may cause severe discomfort if ingested and contact with the foliage may irritate skin.
Garden care: Ensure that the soil is kept moist in summer. After flowering cut back the flowered spikes to encourage more sideshoots. Cut down to the ground after flowering. Apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted organic matter around the plant in early spring.

These plants are short-lived perennials, although they will produce plenty of new side shoots and self-seed freely.