Foxglove

Description:

The leaves are spirally arranged, and are covered with gray-white pubescent and glandular hairs, imparting a woolly texture. The foliage forms a tight rosette at ground level in the first year. The flowering stem develops in the second year. The flowers are arranged in a showy, terminal, elongated cluster, and each flower is tubular and pendent. The flowers are typically purple, but some plants, especially those under cultivation, may be pink, rose, yellow, or white.

Habitat:

Growing freely in woods, lanes, heaths, mountain grassland. Needing little soil, it is found often in the crevices of granite walls, as well as in dry hilly pastures, rocky places and by roadsides. Seedling Foxgloves spring up rapidly from recently-turned earth.

Notes:

Native and widespread throughout most of temperate Europe.This plant can be weedy or invasive according to the USDA. Powdery mildew and leaf spot, if left untreated, can damage foliage considerably by late summer. Dense crowns may rot in soggy, poorly-drained winter soils. Potential insect pests include aphids, mealy bugs, slugs and Japanese beetle. Native Status : L48 Lower 48 States