Purple Foxglove

Purple Foxglove: A Stunning Biennial with Old-World Charm

Purple foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is one of those plants that makes you stop in your tracks. With its towering spikes of tubular purple blooms and cottage garden appeal, it’s easy to see why this European native has found its way into gardens across North America. But before you fall head over heels for this dramatic beauty, let’s dig into what makes purple foxglove tick—and whether it’s the right fit for your garden.

What Is Purple Foxglove?

Purple foxglove is a biennial forb, meaning it completes its life cycle over two years. In its first year, it forms a rosette of soft, fuzzy leaves. The second year is when the magic happens—tall flower spikes shoot up, reaching heights of up to 5 feet, adorned with dozens of bell-shaped purple blooms that seem tailor-made for fairy tales.

This isn’t a native North American plant, though. Purple foxglove originally hails from western and southwestern Europe, including the British Isles. It’s been introduced across much of North America and now reproduces spontaneously in the wild, persisting in locations from Alaska to the lower 48 states and into Canada.

Where Does Purple Foxglove Grow?

You’ll find purple foxglove established across a remarkably wide range of North American locations. It grows in British Columbia, Alaska, New Brunswick, California, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Colorado, Connecticut, Quebec, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Newfoundland.

Garden Appeal and Design Role

Purple foxglove brings serious drama to the garden with its towering presence and old-world cottage garden charm. Here’s what makes it special:

• Height and structure: At 5 feet tall with an erect, single-crown growth form, it creates excellent vertical interest
• Flower power: Conspicuous purple tubular flowers bloom in summer, creating stunning focal points
• Foliage appeal: Dark green, fine-textured leaves provide attractive contrast even before flowering
• Fall interest: The plant remains visually interesting into autumn

Purple foxglove works beautifully as a backdrop plant in cottage gardens, woodland settings, and naturalized areas. It’s particularly stunning when planted in drifts or allowed to self-seed for a more natural look.

Growing Conditions and Care

Purple foxglove is surprisingly adaptable, though it does have some preferences:

• Soil: Adapts well to medium and fine-textured soils; pH between 5.5-7.0
• Moisture: Medium water needs with low drought tolerance
• Light: Shade intolerant—needs good light to thrive
• Climate: Hardy in USDA zones 4-8; needs at least 190 frost-free days
• Precipitation: Thrives with 40-60 inches annual rainfall

Planting and Propagation

The good news? Purple foxglove is incredibly easy to grow from seed—and boy, does it make a lot of seeds! With over 4.6 million seeds per pound and high seed abundance, this plant practically grows itself once established.

• Sow seeds in late spring or early summer for blooms the following year
• Seeds don’t require cold stratification
• Expect moderate growth rate and medium seedling vigor
• Plants will often self-seed, creating naturalized colonies

Pollinator and Wildlife Benefits

Here’s where purple foxglove really shines: it’s absolutely beloved by pollinators, especially bumblebees. The tubular flowers are perfectly shaped for bees to crawl inside, and the summer blooming period provides crucial nectar when many native plants may be taking a break. Hummingbirds also appreciate the flower shape and nectar.

Important Considerations

Before you rush out to plant purple foxglove, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Toxicity: All parts of the plant are moderately toxic to humans and animals—keep this in mind if you have curious pets or children
• Non-native status: While not listed as invasive, it does self-seed readily and can naturalize
• Short lifespan: As a biennial, individual plants only live two years, though self-seeding maintains colonies

Native Alternatives to Consider

While purple foxglove isn’t problematic, you might consider these native alternatives that offer similar vertical interest and pollinator benefits:

• Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa): Purple flowers, excellent for pollinators
• Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis): Tall spikes, loved by hummingbirds
• Great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica): Blue spikes, late-season blooms
• Wild lupine (Lupinus perennis): Tall flower spikes in various colors

The Bottom Line

Purple foxglove is a stunning addition to cottage gardens and naturalized landscapes, offering dramatic height, beautiful flowers, and excellent pollinator support. While it’s not native to North America, it’s not considered invasive either. If you love its old-world charm and can handle its self-seeding tendencies, it can be a wonderful garden addition. Just remember to handle it with care due to its toxicity, and consider mixing in some native alternatives to support your local ecosystem even more fully.

Whether you choose purple foxglove or its native cousins, you’ll be adding valuable vertical interest and pollinator habitat to your garden—and that’s always a win in our book!