Foxglove, Digitalis purpurea, is a biennial. In its first year it forms a low rosette of leaves, in its second it sends up flower spikes 1-2 metres tall that bloom from June to August, and then it sets seed and dies. It is easy to raise from seed as long as the seed is left in the light, and it will self-sow if you let it. The whole plant is poisonous, so keep that in mind when you choose where to grow it.
Timeline from sowing to flowering
March to May, year 1: Sow indoors at 18-20°C in a bright spot. Expect germination to take 20-30 days.
May to June, year 1: Harden off the plants for 1-2 weeks and plant them out once the risk of frost has passed.
July to August, year 1: The second sowing window, and the one we prefer for biennial varieties. Sow in plug trays or pots outdoors, where daylight is enough without grow lights.
Late September to early October, year 1: Plant out the summer-sown plants so that the roots have time to establish before the soil turns cold in winter. The rosette overwinters outdoors.
June to August, year 2: The plant sends up its flower stem and blooms. The bells open from the bottom of the spike upwards.
Late summer, year 2: The seed ripens in the capsules and the plant dies. Sometimes it lives for another year, but do not count on it.
Varieties from the Camelot and Dalmatian series have been bred to flower in their first year from sowing, so a March sowing can give flowers the same summer.
How to sow seeds that need light to germinate
The seed is only 0.1-0.2 mm in size and germinates when it gets light. Moisten the seed compost first, scatter the seed thinly and press it down lightly so that it makes contact with the compost, but do not cover it. Put a clear lid on top and air it every day.
We sow in plug trays with a few seeds per plug and thin to the strongest seedling. The plug is then planted straight into the border or moved on into a larger pot to wait. Read more about summer sowing of biennials in our article on growing biennials. If you sow in March, the seedlings often need extra light, otherwise they become leggy and weak.
Flowers every summer
A plant flowers for one year and then dies. If you sow only once, you get flowers in year 2, and the plants that self-sow from them do not flower until year 4. Year 3 is left empty.
Sow two years in a row: Sow one batch in year 1 and a new batch in year 2. The first flowers in year 2, the second in year 3, and after that self-sown plants fill the gaps.
Let it self-sow: Leave 2-3 spikes until the capsules are brown and dry. Lightly rake the soil around the plants so that the seed lands on bare ground in the light. Cut off the other spikes once they have finished flowering. From a single sowing, the self-sown plants flower every other year, so combine the two methods.
A simple rule: if you want foxgloves in a particular spot, sow them yourself two years in a row and plant them where you want them. If you want a natural-looking planting, let them self-sow and thin the rosettes in spring to 20-25 cm apart. Hollyhocks work in a similar way, with a leaf rosette in the first year and flowers in the second.
Florea's four varieties
All four are biennials at heart, but two of them have been bred to flower in their first year. None of them is a reliable perennial. Grecian foxglove, Digitalis lanata, is described as biennial or perennial, but expect to need new plants. If you want plants that come back year after year, read about growing perennials.
| Variety | Species | First flowering | Height | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apricot Delight | Digitalis purpurea | The year after sowing | 100-150 cm | Sun to partial shade |
| Camelot White | Digitalis purpurea | First year | 100-150 cm | Sun to partial shade |
| Dalmatian Peach | Digitalis purpurea | First year | 50 cm | Sun to partial shade |
| Café Cream | Digitalis lanata | The year after sowing | 125-150 cm | Sun |
Foxglove Apricot Delight is the classic biennial type with apricot-coloured spikes. The series behind Camelot White and Dalmatian Peach have both received the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Dalmatian Peach is the shortest and suits pots or the front of the border. Grecian foxglove Café Cream has small bells in creamy white and beige and wants a sunnier spot than the others. You will find all the varieties together in our range of foxglove seeds.
Position and soil
Digitalis purpurea grows in sun to partial shade, tolerates more shade than most border plants and readily establishes itself in woodland clearings and other disturbed ground. It does best in humus-rich, evenly moist soil that is preferably slightly acidic. Plant 20-25 cm apart. With spikes of 100-150 cm, the tall varieties belong at the back of the border or in groups of 3-5 plants among shrubs.
Cutting for the vase
Foxgloves add height to a bouquet. Because the bells open from the bottom upwards, cut the spike when the lowest bells have opened and the top is still in bud. Cut early in the morning and put the stems straight into water. Café Cream and Apricot Delight have sturdy stems that last a long time in a vase. Dalmatian Peach, at 50 cm, suits lower vases. The plant can sometimes produce shorter side spikes later in the summer, and these suit smaller bouquets. Wear gloves when you cut and strip the leaves, and put the vase where small children and pets cannot reach it.
Toxicity and safe handling
The whole foxglove is poisonous: leaves, flowers and seeds. It contains cardiac glycosides such as digitoxin and digoxin, and the Swedish Poisons Information Centre describes it as very toxic if eaten. Symptoms may not appear until several hours later and include nausea, vomiting, tiredness and an irregular heart rhythm. The plant is also poisonous to animals.
Children: Do not plant it near the sandpit or play area. If a small child has tasted the plant, call the emergency number 112. In less urgent cases, contact the poison information centre in your country.
Animals: Keep pets away from the plants and from leaves you have pulled off.
Gloves: The poison is not absorbed through the skin, so it is not dangerous to touch the plant. Still wear gloves when you thin, cut and collect seed, and wash your hands afterwards so that nothing ends up in your mouth.
Seeds: Store seed packets and harvested seed out of reach of children.
Serious poisonings have occurred when the plant has been mistaken for other plants. For that reason, do not grow foxgloves among vegetables and herbs.
Common mistakes
Covering the seed with soil: A seed of 0.1-0.2 mm under a layer of soil gets no light and germinates poorly. Just press it onto the surface.
Weeding out the rosettes: The first-year leaf rosette looks like a weed to anyone waiting for flowers. Mark where you sowed and learn to recognise self-sown plants when they appear in autumn.
Expecting first-year flowers from a biennial variety: Apricot Delight and Café Cream flower the year after sowing. If you want flowers the same summer, choose Camelot or Dalmatian and sow in March.
Planting out too late: Plants set out when the ground is starting to freeze do not have time to root. Plant out by early October at the latest or let them overwinter in a pot.
Several varieties flowering close together: Bumblebees cross-pollinate them, so self-sown plants do not always come out the same colour as the parent plant. If you want to keep a pure colour, sow fresh seed.
Author: Emma Vogiatzi
Fact-checked by Erik Hoekstra
Last updated 2026-11-04