Re: Re: Park Seeds Tip of the Month/Foxglove

Claire, Kristl and others have already given good answers on the 
annual/biennial/perennial question, but since there is so much confusion 
about Foxglove, I thought a list of the various perennial and biennial 
species would be helpful.  

Dean said he doesn't want anyone telling him his three-year old Foxgloves 
were supposed to die last year, so I won't.  But I would be interested in 
knowing if his are, as I suspect, one of the perennial species.  I might add 
that even the biennials self sow and can remain in our gardens for many 
years.  But in the end, a biennial is a biennial and a perennial is a 
perennial and that's a that.  

In the wild, perennials, biennials and annuals all play important specific 
roles in the process of natural succession.  Their life cycle differences are 
also useful in the cultivation of our gardens -- as when we add annuals to 
fill in as we wait for newly planted perennials to develop.  At times under 
cultivation it may seem to us that the lines between the three types get 
blurred, but in reality each type is biologically programmed to it's own 
destiny.  Perhaps through cultural practices (aided by climatic conditions) 
we can sometimes tempt that destiny, but we cannot change it.  (Well, perhaps 
we can, in a way,  through the process of hybridization, but that is another 
story -- see Digitalis x mertinensis below.)    

Here's the list.  Note that I supplemented my memory by consulting Allan 
Armitage's 'Herbaceous Perennial Plants', the book that was the topic of 
discussion recently on this list and which I highly recommend. 
(Unfortunately, Dr. Armitage, while a big help with the spelling,  was unable 
to assist me with my typing. ;>)

The following species are PERENNIAL:

D. grandiflora (D. ambigua) -- called Yellow Foxglove, 2 to 3.5', the yellow 
flowers are marked with brown and are larger than those of D. lutea (hence 
the name 'grandiflora'). Cultivars: 'Temple Bells' will bloom the first year 
from seed; 'Dropmore Yellow'

D. lutea -- Straw Foxglove or Small Yellow Foxglove, 2 to 3', creamy yellow, 
not as heat tolerant, Var. australis is smaller flowered 

Digitalis parviflora -- a true perennial, 2.5 to 3', flowers reddish brown 

D. lantana -- Grecian Foxglove, more or less perennial, 1 to 2', white with 
purplish netting

D. obscura -- 16 to 20 inches, beige-yellow

D. x mertonensis -- Strawberry Foxglove, 3 to 4', rose color, a hybrid of D. 
purpurea and D. grandiflora with flowers bigger than either parent.  
Inherited perenniality from D. grandiflora, but due to biennial parentage of 
D. purpurea usually lives only 2 to 3 years.  (Alas, I have found this to be 
true in my garden, but it does self sow.)  

And now the BIENNIALS:

Digitalis ferrugina  -- Rusty Foxglove, flowers are brown/red, 4 to 5.5' 
tall, takes a minimum of two years to bloom from seed.  Cultivars: 'Gigantea' 
(yellowish brown) and 'Kirk-Island' (pure yellow)

D. purpurea -- Common Foxglove, native to British Isles where they grow wild, 
4 to 5', usually purple or white, self sows, flowers on one side of the 
stalk.  Cultivars: 'Alba' is white; 'Campanulata'; 'Emerson'; 'Excelsior 
Hybrids' come in various pastel shades and are 5-7' tall with flowers around 
entire stalk; 'Foxy' is 2.5' tall and flowers first year from seed; 'Giant 
Shirley Hybrids' in many colors; 'Sutton's Apricot'

Although there are actually more perennial Digitalis species in cultivation 
than biennial, we tend to think of Foxglove as biennial because the biennials 
are showier and are more common.  I can attest to that.  During my recent 
trip, I was thrilled to see the truly splendid common foxglove, Digitalis 
purpurea, growing wild in the English countryside.  (In France and England I 
saw wild poppies, too -- imagine that -- poppies growing wild!)  --Janis



 




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