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Gardening in the UK

Can I guarantee my foxgloves will self seed?

21 years ago

I grew some from seed last year - purpurea - from some Suttons seeds. They're in flower now and look stunning. I want to ensure I have another showing next year, but have limited space for raising seedlings and am trying different plants. Not sure whether to sow more foxgloves though.

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Comments (8)

Hawthorn_Cottage
21 years ago
Is the Purpurea from Sutton's our native Foxglove, because, if so, l always get seedlings each year, from that appearing in my garden,but you have to recognise what they are, and not weed them out, they arrive in the most obscure parts of the garden,and with no help from me.I too love Foxgloves, and l have bought as plants, for a,'Woodland Corner','Ferruginea',and,'Grandiflora',l am looking forward to them flowering, though the,'Sutton's Apricot',l bought, never grew again, although it is a perennial.
ornata
21 years ago
I think you can pretty much guarantee that you'll get a few seedlings, as long as they've got a bit of free soil to germinate in. They are quite easy to recognise, once you've grown them from seed, and you can transplant them to where you want them to flower. The advantage in sowing seed yourself is that, if you do it early enough (i.e. early to mid spring), you end up with huge, strong plants that should produce lots of flower spikes.
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why did you post this in the GALLERY.. if you didnt put a picture in it.. perhaps you will get more replies on the DISCUSSIONS side of the annual forum good luck ken PS: though vinca is a perennial .... as far as i know ....
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Oh my lordy, just spread them there seeds around where you want them, starting right now. Being biennials they may not bloom next year (although I have had good luck with fall sown foxgloves blooming the next summer) but the basal rosettes will be popping up come spring. Once they bloom you never need to buy any seeds as they will go on a self-seeding rampage from here on in. So you should really look into spreading those seeds around right now! You should!
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Digitalis only takes 2-3 weeks to germinate. The seed is very small so it needs to be surface sown. The cotledons of the seedlings are very small and the first true leaves look like minature versions of the leaves on mature plants but are smaller about 1/4" to 1" long. Each new leaf gets progressively larger until a rosette is formed. Digitalis is a bienniel and needs the cold period between the first and second year to intiate flowering. Seeed cultivars such as 'Foxy' that blooms the first year need to be started very early January-February to insure flowering in early summer.
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It's been years since I've grown it but I seem to remember dark, round and tiny seeds. They will self sow a gajillion seeds but only some of them will make it to blooming size so there is no need to worry about having too many. The seeds need light so keep the area free of leaf litter or mulch and just let mother nature do her thang. When the baby plants show up (often during the cooler times of year) you can then move them around if you need to or thin them if too many sprouted.
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garden_nerd
21 years ago
Wild foxgloves selfsow easily in my garden but when I try other types eg D. ferruginea, and that yellow one, they have to be coaxed and have never yet self seeded.

Ah yes, D. lutea.
weatherlawyer
21 years ago
I believe they need two years to flower?
shrubs_n_bulbs
21 years ago
Yes, they need two years to flower ... this year and next year :)

Seeds which germinate this year will generally flower next spring, certainly those that germinate early enough this year will. Some that germinate late this year, or don't grow in favourable conditions, may not flower until the spring after. I find that these that sneak in an extra growing season often become huge, seven or more feet high and multiple flower stalks.
green_1
21 years ago
im hoping my ferrugineas will self-seed in a hot gravelly spot. if not will cutting down stop the dying in the 2nd year?
Southmede
21 years ago
I always leave my foxgloves until the seeds are fully ripe, then cut them down and shake the seeds on the ground where I want them to grow and they always do.
Berlingo
21 years ago
Bigger than usual crop of wild foxgloves in the lanes near me this year. Collected seeds from them yesterday and scattered them all around my garden edges this morning. Hoping some will germinate if they find the situation to their liking (they have not done so before of their own accord, but a neighbour has removed a tree creating a sunnier clearing that might suit them). If they don't they don't. They are generally on higher drier land here.

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