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Foxglove in 8b brown, cut back or leave?

last year

Planted my foxglove transplants in late Fall in Central Texas z8b. We got our first hard frost this last week. Will these overwinter and return? Planted in part sun.

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girlnamedgalez8a

last year

I have grown Foxglove however I am in north TX in Denton Co. The only luck that I have had is starting Foxy (the annual foxglove) in the fall by direct sowing in partial shade & it blooms the following spring. That looks dead to me but wait until spring to see if it comes back. The biannual really struggles in our summers.

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Comments (8)

atxgarden313
Original Author
last year
@girlnamedgalez8a when you direct sow, does the foilage die back in the Winter or does it stay evergreen? maybe I’ll try that next time instead of starting inside during the summer.
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girlnamedgalez8a
last year
It has been a few years since I have grown them but if I remember correctly there would be a small rosette that made it through the winter then in the 2nd half of winter it would really grow & bloom in the spring. They rarely made it through the summer. Be sure that you get the Foxy variety.
atxgarden313
Original Author
last year
@girlnamedgalez8a for sure - thank you!
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
I‘m afraid I don’t think I’ve ever seen a deader-looking Foxglove than that poor thing. A healthy specimen of Digitalis purpurea would be green through the winter, whether as the first year rosette of a biennial, or, occasionally, as a short-lived perennial.
atxgarden313
Original Author
last year
@floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK lol! do I laugh or cry? thank you for humoring me. Back to the nursery to get some new transplants!
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
No harm in leaving it alone until spring. I may be wrong, never having seen a Foxglove outside its native range. Maybe they look like that in a Texas winter?

This one was taken this morning. It has been through several freezes so far this winter.
atxgarden313
Original Author
last year
@floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK We had a mild previous winter and first time growing them then, so I think I got off lucky. Yours looks really healthy! Another foxglove in my garden is showing some hope. A new green leaf is emerging:) There is hope afterall. I am sure we may have more freezes ahead, so I am going to look for some frost cloth.

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