Drop-dead gorgeous
Striking foxgloves are fabulously dramatic (but take care... they can be very toxic)
OUR native foxglove is instantly recognisable thanks to its 5ft-tall spires of bell-shaped, pink- purple flowers that stand over a rosette of downy leaves. During the summer months they are a common sight in our towns and countryside, popping up everywhere from railway embankments to woodland clearings.
Their ability to thrive in so many habitats means common foxgloves are found across Britain, providing them with a host of regional folk names, such as lion’s mouth, cowflop and Scotch mercury. In fact, it is thought to have more than 30 pseudonyms, more than any other wildflower in this country.
The secret behind its success at settling just about anywhere are the thousands of tiny seeds that are produced in late summer. Once they are dispersed by the wind, some will germinate readily, while others will wait until conditions improve to make their move – they can remain viable for five years.
It is certainly ubiquitous but this stately gem is not the only foxglove. There are well over 100 varieties that can be used to punctuate displays in both sun and shade, including showier, cultivated forms of our indigenous foxglove and wild species from other parts of the world.
There is great variety among them. Clusters of oval, oblong or lance-shaped leaves form beneath flower stalks, ranging in height from 12in to 7ft. These carry pink, red, purple, mauve, yellow, orange, white and brown blooms, which sometimes have throats that are speckled, blotched or washed with a contrasting shade.
All have single, bell-shaped flowers that generally clothe one side of the stems. The majority of varieties have blooms that face downwards, providing the perfect entry point for bees. There is an exception. Launched at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2007, ‘Candy Mountain’ has unique upward- facing purple flowers. Foxgloves originate from parts of Europe, Asia and north-west Africa, and are known botanically as digitalis. This name derives from the word digit, or finger-like, referring to the open, slender shape of flowers that easily slip over finger tips, like old-fashioned sewing thimbles.
Fans of crime fiction are likely to spot the similarity with the botanical name and digitoxin, a poison derived from foxgloves that was used to bump off victims in the works of Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. In fact, all parts of the foxglove are poisonous, so avoid if you have inquisitive pets or youngsters. A few foxgloves like full sun, but most prefer damp, fertile soil in light shade. They are ideal alongside walls, fences and hedges, and for planting under trees and in woodland gardens. Of course, they are a cottage garden classic, providing vertical accents in beds and borders among roses, hardy geraniums and irises.
Bear in mind that Digitalis purpurea, our common foxglove, is biennial, forming leaves one year and flowers the next, before setting seed and dying. Most of its progeny have the same trait, although some recent introductions are short-lived perennials. Other types last for five years before they need replacing.
Over the past few years a number of foxgloves have made their debut that are suitable for showing off in large containers. The likes of the ‘ Knee High’ series and ‘ Foxy’ hybrids will all thrive in 12in-wide containers filled with multi-purpose compost with a handful of controlled release fertiliser granules.
Foxgloves in pots are easy to look after. Water regularly, especially over summer to prevent plants flagging, and feed once a month with balanced fertiliser to encourage strong, healthy growth. Move perennial types into slightly larger pots each spring to ensure they have plenty of space for roots to develop.
Keep plants looking tidy, and prevent unwanted seedlings appearing all over the place, by pruning flower spikes back to the nearest bud as they start to fade. Give them a hit of high-potash fertiliser at this point and they might respond with a further flush of smaller flowers.
Cow-flop, lion’s mouth ... they have more names than any wild flower