Perennial foxglove (digitalis): photo of flowers, description of the plant, variety

Foxglove is a beautiful perennial plant that is often grown as a biennial variety. It adapts well to almost any conditions, so even inexperienced gardeners can handle it without any problems.

Description of foxglove with photo

Foxglove or Digitalis (Digitalis) is a biennial or perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the genus Plantain. It has many varieties. Depending on their height, they can be divided into dwarf (30-60 cm), medium-sized (up to 100 cm) and tall (100-200 cm). Some species may be shrubs or subshrubs.

What does a foxglove flower look like?

Foxglove is a green bush, the width of which is 30-50 cm. The height of the stems, depending on the variety, varies from 30 cm to 2 m. The leaves are colored in a light green shade, collected in a rosette. They grow parallel to the stem, the lower ones are petiolate, and the upper ones are sessile. The oblong leaves are quite large and soft.

The flowers are small and vary in color depending on the variety. They can be yellow, orange, purple, white and other shades. They are shaped like bells. Inside the flowers there are specks of contrasting shades. They are collected in one-sided or two-sided brushes located on long stems.

After flowering ends, boxes are formed containing small seeds. They can be collected and used for further sowing. Seeds remain viable for 2-3 years.

You can get about 2,000,000 seeds from one plant

Where does foxglove grow?

In its natural habitat, foxglove can be found almost everywhere. It grows in meadows, forest edges, city parks, and along roads. The culture loves bushes and lowlands located in coastal areas.

The flower grows best in temperate and tropical climates. It is found everywhere in the Mediterranean, Asia, and North Africa. The largest number of varieties grows on the Iberian Peninsula. The plant is widespread in many European countries, Siberia and the Caucasus.

When does foxglove bloom?

Foxglove has a long flowering period. It begins to bloom in early June and continues until the end of summer. Under favorable weather conditions, flowering can continue until mid-autumn.

In the first year of cultivation it does not bloom.At this time, the formation of a leaf rosette occurs. Only in the second year of cultivation does it produce flower stalks.

Attention! The plant contains a large amount of pollen, so it is easily pollinated by insects.

Varieties and types of foxglove

To date, about 35 species of foxglove are known. Only a small part of them can be found on the territory of Russia. Moreover, some of these varieties are in the Red Book.

Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)

A perennial plant that is most often grown as a biennial. This is due to the fact that in the third year of life it loses its decorative effect and stops flowering. Its height reaches approximately 1.5 m. The length of the peduncle is about 90 cm. The size of the flowers is approximately 6 cm. They can be colored purple, pink, white or cream.

The color of foxglove purple depends on its variety.

Digitalis grandiflora (Digitalis grandiflora)

This variety reaches a height of 1.2 m. The leaves are long, drooping at the edges. The flowers are medium in size (about 6 cm) and have the shape of drooping racemes. They begin to bloom only in the second year of cultivation. The color of this variety varies from light yellow to dark brown.

The large-flowered species feels good in forest thickets and rocky areas

Foxglove (Digitalis ferruginea)

One of the highest grades. It grows up to 1.2 m, sometimes reaching 2 m. It has oblong and slightly drooping leaves. The length of the spikelet is about 50 cm, and there are small flowers (about 4 cm) on it. Their hue varies from pale yellow to golden brown. There are reddish veins inside.

The shape of the flower of this variety resembles an orchid.

Foxglove (Digitalis lanata)

This variety belongs to medicinal, not ornamental plants. It is actively used in medicine. Small flowers (about 4 cm) are yellow-brown. There are purple veins inside. Flowering occurs from early July to late August. This variety does not tolerate frost well.

The culture got its name thanks to the cannon located on the axis of the inflorescence

Yellow foxglove (Digitalis lutea)

A tall plant, its main habitat is Europe. This variety has no fluff either on the stems or on the leaves. It reaches a height of 80-100 cm. Small flowers (about 2.5 cm) are painted in a light yellow shade interspersed with brown spots. Petals are smooth. The flowering period occurs in July-August.

Yellow foxglove survives cold temperatures well

The benefits and harms of digitalis for humans

In addition to its decorative qualities, foxglove has beneficial properties. People have long noticed its healing properties, and since the 18th century they began to use it in both folk and traditional medicine.

This flower contains glycosides, vitamins A, B, C, E and many other useful components. These substances are indispensable in the treatment of most cardiovascular diseases. All parts of the plant contain useful components. However, most of them are in the leaves.

Foxglove is not beneficial for everyone, and in some situations it can be harmful. It is not recommended for use by children under 12 years of age. People should avoid using it after a myocardial infarction. It will not benefit those who suffer from chronic lung pathologies or heart defects.Pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding should avoid using digitalis.

Is foxglove poisonous?

Despite the medicinal properties of foxglove, all varieties are poisonous. To avoid harming yourself, you should consult a specialist before using it. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate.

When deciding to use drugs based on this plant, it is important to remember that with prolonged use, toxic substances can accumulate in the body. In the future, this can provoke loss of appetite, hallucinations, and anorexia.

Attention! For safety reasons, it is not recommended to plant foxgloves in flower beds located near children's institutions.

Symptoms of digitalis poisoning

You can tell that there has been digitalis poisoning by looking at your general condition. There is a sharp pain in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting. Most often, poisoning is accompanied by skin rashes, convulsions, breathing problems, and heart function is disrupted.

First aid for poisoning

If symptoms of poisoning appear after using digitalis-based drugs, you should immediately seek medical help. If left untreated, poisoning can be fatal.

Uses of foxglove

The woolly variety is most often used for medicinal purposes. Organic acids, steroid and cardiotonic glycosides are obtained from it. Other plant varieties are also suitable for these purposes.

The leaves of the plant are used to obtain powder. Suppositories and tablets are made from it.

In folk medicine, digitalis infusion is often used.

Features of growing perennial foxglove

It is not difficult to grow foxgloves in your own garden.However, you will need to pay attention to some points in order for it to please with abundant flowering. For planting, you should choose places with loose and fertile soil. The flower does not like excessive moisture, so there should be no stagnation of groundwater nearby.

How to plant foxgloves

There are two ways to plant a plant: seedlings or sowing seeds directly into open ground.

It is worth planting seedlings in a permanent place after warm weather sets in. As a rule, this is the end of spring or the beginning of autumn. It is best to use seedlings with 5-6 well-formed leaves. It is advisable to choose sunny places, but weak partial shade is also suitable. The planting process consists of the following steps:

It’s good to dig up the place for future flowers. Apply compost fertilizer to the soil.
Dig holes and transfer seedlings into them without dislodging the soil from the root system. It is worth leaving a distance of 15-25 cm between the bushes.
Compact the soil and water the seedlings.

It is not recommended to plant bushes near trees that shed leaves.

The best time to sow seeds in open ground is the end of April or the beginning of May. The planting process consists of the following steps:

Dig up the planting site and level it with a rake.
Make grooves 2 cm deep, leaving a distance of 25 cm between them. Place the seeds there, leaving enough space between them. Cover the plantings with soil.
After the seedlings emerge, they will need to be thinned out.

In cold weather, it is necessary to cover the bed. It is allowed to sow foxglove seeds in the fall. To do this, the planting site must be covered with film for the winter.

Care instructions

The plant needs regular watering. However, you should not over-moisten the soil, as this can lead to rotting of the root system.If there is frequent rain, watering should be stopped. To avoid stagnation of moisture in the soil, it is necessary to make a drainage layer when planting. There is no need to loosen the soil surface much. The root system is shallow and easily damaged.

It is recommended to apply the first fertilizer a week after planting in a permanent place. It is desirable that the fertilizer be based on ammonium nitrate. It is recommended to fertilize the plant 2-3 times per season. In the fall, you can feed the foxglove with complex mineral compounds. They are suitable for use at any time.

To prevent the plant from dying from the cold, the foxglove needs to be prepared for winter. In autumn it is necessary to sprinkle some soil. In regions with a harsh climate, it is additionally recommended to cover the root system with dry leaves or tree bark.

Important! Foxglove has good frost resistance. For the winter, it is enough to cover only the roots, since they are located close to the surface.

Foxglove propagation

Foxgloves can be propagated in several ways: using seeds, shoots. Seeds are collected in the autumn as they ripen. It is recommended to choose them from the largest boxes. For propagation, you can use seedlings and non-seedlings. The seeds can be pre-soaked.

The flower reproduces well by self-sowing

To obtain new bushes using the vegetative method, you need to cut the brushes from several flower stalks. After about 21 days, rosettes will form at their base. After 7-8 leaves have formed, they need to be carefully dug up and planted in a permanent place.

Why doesn't foxglove bloom?

The main reason for the lack of flowering of foxgloves is damage by diseases and pests.If symptoms are detected, treatment must be started immediately, as the culture may die in the future.

The plant blooms in the second year. If you follow all care recommendations, it will delight you with long and abundant flowering.

Photo of foxglove in landscape design

Photos of foxglove flowers in a flower bed always look interesting.

The culture is suitable for growing in pots

This is a universal plant that is suitable for individual and group plantings. It goes well with perennials in contrasting shades.

Flowers can be used to create beautiful bouquets

Conclusion

Foxglove is unpretentious in care; if all recommendations are followed, it will delight you with lush flowering all summer long. It can be used not only as an ornamental, but also as a medicinal plant.