Foxgloves

[pilates]

My Foxgloves have finished flowering and taken a bit of a battering with the slugs and snails. I have read conflicting advice as to whether just leave them or if I need to cut them back? I really want them to come back next year as they were given to me by someone special.

Cut the stem but then shake it to distribute the seeds. Plans should flower for 3 years.

Foxgloves are usually biannual.

So grow one year and flower the next.

So it's the seed that's important.

Are they perennial foxgloves or native biennials?

I’ve just cut back my perennial ones and am leaving my biennials until they’ve spread their seed.

I’m not sure @TheGirlattheBack how would I know? I have chucked the label away now.

i cut down the stems that have flowered and shake out the seeds on the border. Some plants will have a rosette of green, healthy leaves at the base, I leave these as often i get a second lot of flowers.

Did they have big flowers or tiny flowers?

Are they regular pink and white tall foxgloves? If so they're probably biennial. If conditions in your garden are favourable they should self-seed, grow this summer/ autumn and flower again next year, but there are no guarantees.

Tiny flowers

If the flower is big enough to put your little finger in, they’re more likely to be a variety of our native foxglove and biennial or very short lived perennial - make sure you scatter seeds.

If the flowers are tiny, they’re more likely to be a non-native species and perennial. Eg Digitalis lutea if cream and D ferruginea if a lovely rusty colour

This is it

Thanks for the picture. That’s a perennial foxglove. Cut the dying flower stems back to the leafy growth at the bottom.

They are quite short lived as perennials but should come back next year. Perennial foxgloves need full sun. Feed in the spring.

Thank you so much 🙏

Which species or variety do you think it is?

I don’t recognise it, but it looks to me like one of the Digitalis purpurea (biennial) varieties with a split corolla, like this one. I’d be interestedto know what it actually is.