Foxgloves

[TLL]

My foxgloves have all gone to seed, and after I collect and sprinkle the seeds, what do I cut back on the plant? Just the flower stalks, or should I cut the base of leaves back to the ground as well?

Thanks!
TLL

[Newt]

Hi TLL,

You can cut the flowering stalk to the basal leaves and possibly get another flush of smaller blooms. There are biennial and perennial foxgloves. Do you know which you have?

Newt

[TLL]

I have a feeling I have perennial (we just moved in last September and I don't recall seeing any late blooming foxgloves when I toured the garden last August). Thanks for the advice tho - will do!

TLL

[Newt]

If they are biennial you would only have seen the leaves last year. Were these multicolored? If they were a pink only or yellow only they might be perennial.

Newt

[TLL]

None of them were yellow.... most of them were a light purple, some pink I think (I'm trying to remember), and a few white.

TLL

[Newt]

Sounds like you have the biennial foxglove - Digitalis purpurea.
https://www.humeseeds.com/foxglov.htm
https://www.beautifulbotany.com/Plants/pages/Perennial%20-%20Foxgloves%20and%20Daisies.htm

Here's some pics of foxgloves with the perennial foxgloves - D. grandiflora and D. mertonensis.
https://www.swallowtailgardenseeds.com/perennials/foxglove.html

I found this site too that might be helpful.
https://www.gardenline.usask.ca/yards/foxglove.html

Newt

[TLL]

Thanks so much for all your help! I love the D. grandiflora - what a beautiful show of yellow!

I did let the plants go to seed and collected a bunch, as well as scattered some, so it will be interesting to see how many foxgloves sprout! Last month one of my foxgloves grew upwards through one of my 50 year old dwarf japanese maples - to a height of 7 feet!

TLL

[Newt]

You are so very welcome! Wow, 7' tall. I hope you took pictures.

Newt