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Foxglove
Digitalis
Foxglove blooms from May through July.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Foxglove
Plant it in part shade. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 4–8. Expect it to reach about 4 ft tall and 1.5 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years (not yet checked).
What was checked
Mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not, and each fact above says which. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Foxglove
Plant Foxglove in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. In zone 6, the middle of its hardy zones 4 to 8, spring means March to May and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms from May to July.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 6, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 6 in March. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Foxglove get?
4 fttall5 ft 7 inan adult1.5 ftwideSee Foxglove in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Foxglove
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Foxglove about 1.5 ft apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Foxglove to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Foxglove's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags were checked against 11 published sources on July 29, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- Missouri Botanical GardenDigitalis purpureaheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Missouri Botanical GardenDigitalis grandifloraheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- NC State ExtensionDigitalis purpureaheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Clemson Home and Garden Information CenterFoxglove, Digitalis speciesheight, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- University of Wisconsin Horticulturecommon foxglove, Digitalis purpureaheight, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- RHSHow to grow foxgloves, genus Digitalisheight, sun and trait tags
- Chicago Botanic GardenDigitalis ferruginea, rusty foxglovehardiness zones and sun
- Swallowtail Garden SeedsFoxglove, Digitalissun and trait tags
- University of Georgia ExtensionFoxgloveheight and sun
- blogs.cornell.eduCornell University High Tunnels, cut flower crops (Foxglove)trait tags
- University of Arkansas ExtensionFoxglovesun
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Comes in 10 varieties across 5 colors
Same genus, similar care - pick the color you are growing.
- Camelot Cream
- Camelot Lavender
- Camelot Rose
- Camelot White
- Common
- Dalmatian Peach
- Dalmatian Purple
- Pam's Choice
- Sutton's Apricot
- Yellow
Compare every variety in the Foxglove group
Every figure is the variety's own page fact. Tap a name to open it.
| Variety | Color | Blooms | Hardiness | Sun | Size (H × W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camelot Cream | Yellow | May–Jul | Zones 4–8 | Part shade | 4 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Camelot Lavender | Purple | May–Jul | Zones 4–8 | Part shade | 4 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Camelot Rose | Pink | May–Jul | Zones 4–8 | Part shade | 4 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Camelot White | White | May–Jul | Zones 4–8 | Part shade | 4 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Common | Purple | May–Jul | Zones 4–8 | Part shade | 4.5 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Dalmatian Peach | Pink | May–Jul | Zones 4–8 | Part shade | 2.5 ft × 1 ft |
| Dalmatian Purple | Purple | May–Jul | Zones 4–8 | Part shade | 2.5 ft × 1 ft |
| Foxglovethis page | Pink | May–Jul | Zones 4–8 | Part shade | 4 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Pam's Choice | White | May–Jul | Zones 4–8 | Part shade | 4.5 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Sutton's Apricot | Pink | May–Jul | Zones 4–8 | Part shade | 4 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Yellow | Yellow | Jun–Aug | Zones 4–8 | Part shade | 2.5 ft × 1.5 ft |
Good to know about Foxglove
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
Safety
Every part is highly toxic to people, dogs, cats and horses; the cardiac glycosides can cause vomiting, blurred vision, an irregular pulse, even death. Wear gloves when handling. per NC State and RHS
Worth knowing
Foxglove is the source of the heart drugs digitalis and digoxin. The same molecule that treats heart failure will stop a heart at the wrong dose. per NCBI
Sun or shade, by climate
US sources say full sun to part shade, with afternoon shade in hot summers; the RHS (cooler UK) says dappled to deep shade. Keep the soil moist either way. per RHS
Biennial, not a perennial
Makes only a leaf rosette its first year, flowers the second, then usually dies after setting seed. Camelot, Dalmatian and Foxy strains bloom the first season. per NC State
Deer and rabbit resistant
Deer and rabbits avoid it: the same toxic compounds that make it dangerous also make it unpalatable to browsers. per NC State
Bumblebee forage plant
The long, nectar-rich tubular flowers are classic forage for long-tongued bumblebees, and also draw hummingbirds and butterflies. per RHS
Deadhead, but leave some seed
Cut the spent spike at its base; never shear the plant, since the bloom sits on one spike. Leave a few spikes to self-sow, or the stand dies out. per RHS
What pairs well with Foxglove
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Hellebore
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Snowdrop
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; low at 5 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months.
Windflower
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months.
Eastern Redbud
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; taller at 23 ft, for the layer behind it.
Primrose
Shares part shade and moderate water; opens in early spring and overlaps into this one's season; lower at 8 in, for the front of the border; both offer pollinator forage.
Turtlehead
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate to high water; blooms in late summer as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; lower at 3 ft, for the front of the border.
Wishbone Flower
Shares part shade and moderate water; lower at 10 in, for the front of the border; overlaps, then carries the display into early fall; both are strong pollinator plants.
Flowering Dogwood
Shares part shade and moderate water; opens in mid spring and overlaps into this one's season; both are strong pollinator plants; taller at 23 ft, for the layer behind it.
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Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.