Common Foxglove
Digitalis purpurea · Herbaceous Biennial (Not a Tree)
Plant Family
Plantaginaceae
Tree Category
Flowering Herbaceous Biennial / Wildflower
Variety / Cultivar
Species type (Digitalis purpurea)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8.
About This Tree
An upright, clump-forming biennial with tall flowering spikes featuring drooping, bell-shaped purple flowers with spotted throats. It is not a tree, but a herbaceous plant.
Leaf Characteristics
Basal leaves are ovate-lanceolate, 10-25 cm long, rugose (wrinkled), and covered with gray-white hairs. Stem leaves are alternate and decrease in size upward.
Bark Characteristics
None; features a soft, hairy green herbaceous stem rather than woody bark.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Europe, North Africa, and Central Asia; naturalized in North America.
Growing Season
Produces a basal rosette in the first year; blooms from early to mid-summer in the second year before seeding and dying.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade; prefers moist, well-drained, acidic soil. Low drought tolerance.
Mature Size
Height of 3-5 feet; spread of 1-2 feet. Rapid growth during second-year flowering cycle.
Special Characteristics
Highly toxic if ingested; source of the heart medication digitalis. Notable for its beautiful tubular flowers and deer resistance.
Wildlife & Ecology
Highly attractive to bumblebees and other long-tongued bees for pollination. Avoided by most mammalian herbivores due to high toxicity.