Digitals: part one.
- To: perennials@mallorn.com
- Subject: Digitals: part one.
- From: M* <M*@aol.com>
- Date: Wed, 11 Mar 1998 00:44:43 EST
Here is the first part on the foxgloves.
Part two will be in a few days.
Specialty Perennials
DIGITALIS
digitatus for finger
PLANTS FOR LIGHT SHADE
Digitalis or the foxgloves.
The Digitalis's are Perennials or biennials of the family SCROPHULARIACEAE.
Foxglove's tend to be medium sized plants with many containing poisons, with
basal leaves in
rosettes giving rise to tall spikes of flowers in mid to late summer. Leaves
are simple, mostly
entire some what hairy in most species and several times longer than wide.
Inflorescence
(flowering stems and flowers) erect with alternate leaves and numerous
flowers held mostly on
one side of the stems. Flower corolla is campanulate or tubular shaped. There
are around 21
species Native to Europe, North West Africa, and Central Asia.
All the Foxgloves are ornamental and look good in the garden or naturalized in
a field or damp
meadows or along wood edges. Most species are tolerant of a wide range of
soils as long as
they are not overly wet or dry.
The name Digitalis means "finger" and it was once believed that foxes put them
on there feet to
raid the chicken coop - so that they would not leave a trace.
PROBLEMS:
All parts of the plant may cause severe discomfort if eaten, contact with the
foliage may irritate
the skin. Plants are effected by Southern blight, anthracnose, Fungal leaf
spots,
Digitalis is an example of a cardio-active or cardiotonic drug, in other words
a steroid which
has the ability to exert a specific and powerful action on the cardiac muscle
in animals, and has
been used in the treatment of heart conditions ever since its discovery in
1775. Over 3 million
Medicare beneficiaries were estimated to be using digitalis in 1987.
Below is the current list of plants that I know that are in cultivation.
Digitalis amandia = D. purpurea
Digitalis ambigua = D. grandiflora
Digitalis ciliata
Digitalis davisiana
Digitalis dubia
Digitalis eriostachya = D. lutea
Digitalis ferruginea
Digitalis fontanesii
Digitalis grandiflora
Digitalis grandiflora SUBSPECIES peloponnese
Digitalis kishinskyi = D. parviflora
Digitalis laevigata
Digitalis lanata
Digitalis lutea
Digitalis x mertonensis = D.grandiflora x D. purpurea
Digitalis obscura
Digitalis orientalis = D. grandiflora
Digitalis parviflora
Digitalis purpurea
Digitalis purpurea FORM albiflora
Digitalis purpurea SUBSPECIES heywoodii
Digitalis thapsi
Digitalis trojana
Digitalis viridiflora
Digitalis x grandiflora 'John Innes Tetra'
Digitalis have a great vertical effect in the garden with classic charm.
The really ornamental
forms of D. purpurea are showy and put on one of the best floral displays
around. D. purpurea
has many different seed strains that have been around for a number ot years.,
these include those
listed below.
Digitalis purpurea is a classic BIENNIAl meaning that they grow leaves and
roots the first
year and flower the second year and die after setting seed. Start seeds early
so that you get the
biggest plants possible. Or if you want smaller plants start later in the year
and keep plants
crowded. Plant out in late summer were you want them to grow or grow them in
pots. Seed
started in late summer or fall might not bloom the next year but the fowling
year.
This species is very variable with many different forms in the wild , they are
native to South
West and Western Europe, are hardy in zones 4-8 and grow from 3-6 feet tall.
D. purpurea tends to have one sided, tall flowering spikes with tubular
flowers of purple,
pink or white. The flowers are spotted or blotched inside with maroon or
purple. sow annually
for yearly displays, plants some times self sow and some times are short lived
perennials. cut
flower spike off to promote a second weaker flush of flowering. Make a very
showy cut flower.
Hummingbirds will feed on them. flowers from early summer to mid summer. The
true species
is pink with heavy mottled flowers. The leaves are wrinkled and softly hairy,
large and broad,
Having long stems (petioles) becoming sessile (with out stems) as they
progress up the
flowering stems.
For best flower display -water well but do not water log the soil.
Digitalis purpurea (COMMON foxglove) seed strains. seed germinates in 7-15
days at 70
degrees F. do not cover seed, light is helpful to germination.
D. purpurea 'APRICOT BEAUTY' = Pastel shades of apricot with some spotting on
3.5 foot
tall plants. Makes a nice cut flower. zones 4-10. One of the best for the deep
south. 325,000
seeds per oz.
D. purpurea 'DWARF SENSATION' = Three to four feet tall with three inch
long flowers
packed densely into the flowering spike.
D. purpurea 'EXCELSIOR' = Three to four or even five feet tall with flowers
carried almost
horizontal thus revealing the showy spottings and dots. whites, SFr yellow,
pinks, darker rose.
great as a cut flower. zones 4 -8. 180,000 seeds per oz.
D. purpurea 'FOXY' = "All American Winner" This plant some times acts like a
annual
blooming 5-6 months after sowing. Plants grow 36" tall and come in shades of
carmine, red,
pink, creamy yellow and white. Solid colors with flowers heavily spotted with
maroon dots.
zone 4-8, 200,000 seeds per oz.
D. purpurea 'GLITTERING PRIZES' = comes in a wide range of colors and grows
4-6 feet
tall. zones 4-8. plants have spotted and blotched mouths.
D. purpurea 'GIANT SHIRLY' = sny p. gloxiniaeflora 'THE SHIRLEY' Has
huge, long
bell shaped flowers of white, shell pink, rose and darker rose. Plants grow 3
to 5 feet tall and
have crimson or chocolate spotting. This foxglove is a very showy one grown in
pots.
D. purpurea 'GLOXINIODES' = Salmon pink, creamy yellow ,purple and pink
flowers that
are wide open and have a frilly marginated mouth. Lots of spots and blotches
in the mouth of
this flower. Plants grow 5-6 feet tall.
D. purpurea 'PELORIC' = sny p. campanulata. Huge open faced flower up to 2"
across
growded into a short dense spike. said to be some what like a "Canterbury
Bell' like bloom.
flowers much larger but lacking the nice "fox glove" shape. 4-6 feet tall.
Zones 4 -8.
D. purpurea 'SUTTON'S APRICOT' = Has apricot pink flowers. Might be the same
as D. p
'APRICOT"
D. purpurea subspecies? heywoodii = Said to be more perennial than most
forms, with soft
pink flowers with yellow throats and purple spots. 30" tall. Zones 4 -8.
Digitalis davisiana = A Perennial with linear lance shaped leaves. Leaf
edges finely toothed
and leaves hairless and mid green in color. Plants have pale yellow flowers
that are 1.5" long
with orange veining. Blooming in early summer on 30" tall racemes. Native to
turkey and hardy
in zones 8-10.
Digitalis dubia = A perennial species with wrinkled, lance shaped, dark green
leaves. Flowers
are born on 18" stalks and are purplish pink or off white with lots of spots
in side. flowering in
early summer. Plants are native from Spain. Zones 8-10.
Digitalis ferruginea = (RUSTY FOXGLOVE) dij-i-TAH lis fe-roo-GIN-ee-a. A
robust
growing biennial or short lived perennial from South East Europe to Turkey and
Lebanon and
the Caucasus. Dark green leaves growing in rosettes are lance shaped.
flowers are golden
brown, 1.5 inches long with red brown veins. Plants bloom in mid summer.
Hardy in zones
4-7. Four feet tall and 18 inches wide.
D. ferruginea 'Gigantea' - This form has larger flowers that are yellowish
brown and grows to
4-5 feet tall.
D. ferruginea 'Kirk Island' - This plant has pure yellow flowers and grows 3-5
feet tall.
Digitalis grandiflora (YELLOW FOXGLOVE) dij-i-TAH-lis grand-di-FLO-ra This
plant is
clump forming and a short lived perennial or some times biennial. Leaves are
finely toothed
with prominent veins, mostly hairless and often glossy. Leaves are also mid
green in color and
5-10 inches long. flowers are large- about 1.5 to 2 inches long - well
spaced on the stems and
pale yellow in color with brown veins inside (some forms have no veining).
blooming time is
early and midsummer. These plants are attractive and showy in the open
woodland or on a
grassy slope. many forms are long lived in the garden. This foxglove grows
2-3 feet tall and
18" wide. Native to Southern Europe to Siberia and Turkey. Zones 3-8. Grow
from seeds
planted in a warm humid container 75F. or make divisions in spring or after
flowering.
D.grandiflora 'Temple Bells' is a larger flowering cultivar of this species.
Digitalis laevigata Clump forming perennials native to the western and
Central Balkans. Plants
are hairless with odovate shaped leaves and mid green colored basal leaves.
flowers are on
loose racemes and are held straight out horizontally from the stems. Flowers
are brownish
yellow in color and 1.5 inches longe, the lower lip of the flowers are white
in color and redish
brown veins and speckles fill the mouth of the flowers. Flowering occures in
mid summer on 3
foot tall plants that are 18" wide. This species does best on limestone soils
and in a open wood
land setting. Zones 7-9.
Digitalis lanata (GRECIAN FOXGLOVE) A clump forming biennial or perennial
native to
Italy, the Balkans, Hungary and Turky. Leaves are mid green and lance shaped
growing to 5
inches long, hairless on their undersides and sometimes having toothed
margins. flowers are
born in racemes with leafy bracts and are densly pacted, blooming from the
bottom up wards.
Flowers are light or pale yellow cream or almost white, 1.5 inches long with
brown or
brown-violet veins and a lighter colored lower lip. The lower lip of the
flower is longer than
other parts of the flower. Plants bloom in mid to late summer and grow 24"
tall and 10" wide.
Zones 4-9.
Digitalis lutea (STRAW FOXGLOVE or YELLOW FOXGLOVE) dij-i-TAH-lis loo-TEE-a
Plants have dark green glossy leaves that are hairless with serrate teeth.
Stems grow 24" tall
and produce a large number of small light yellow flowers that are one inch
long. Plants repeat
bloom if dead headed and bloom well in a semi shady spot. I like this little
plant for it's long
life and neat tidy appearance with the flowers hanging down from the tall
stems. Plants grow
into clumps and have a graceful habit. They bloom in mid summer. This
foxglove does well in
lime alkaloid soils. Native to south west central Europe to Italy and spain
and on the coast of
North west Africa. Zones 3-9.
Links to other sights with DIGITALIS If you like chemistry and history.
The use of DIGITALIS purpurea as medicine does it work?
<A HREF="http://members.aol.com/Meum71/specialty.html">Specailty Perennials
http://members.aol.com/meum71/specialty.html</A>
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