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Perennial foxgloves

PoppypussPoppypuss Posts: 90
in Plants
Hi I'm thinking of getting some perennial foxgloves after seeing them on the GW programme on Friday but I have no experience of these and wondering if they are easy to grow, same type of conditions as annual foxgloves? I've been growing annual foxgloves from seed sown last year ( Alba and apricot) but so far a bit underwhelmed by the low number of flowers on each spike and wondered if the perennials might give more of the impact I'm after in a shady border.

Posts

  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,756
    We bought some "so called" perennial Foxgloves a few years ago (Camelot Rose and Camelot Pink).  They turned out to be no different to the annual ones, and did not reappear after flowering.  It's made me sceptical about whether there really is a truly perennial variety.  
  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,531
    edited May 2020
    Four years ago, a foxglove arrived in my garden uninvited, not doubt courtesy of some passing bird.  I thought they were all biennial, but no, mine keeps on going.  It's descendants are now all over the garden.  Would you like me to send you some seed?  They'll all be the same colour:  the buds are pale creamy-yellow and turn to a light pinky mauve as they open.  Sorry I can't show you a photograph; my PC just won't post them.
  • FireFire Posts: 17,116
    Mine didn't come back either.
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 16,528
    The perennial types were announced to great fanfare a few years ago. They were crosses with a canary island species I believe. Unfortunately these perennials seemed to be expensive annuals that didn't even self seed.  Far too cold for them in this neck of the woods.
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 13,244
    Some are perennial: I grow D.lutea and D.ferruginea, which both last a few years.
    There are ashtrays of emulsion,
    for the fag ends of the aristocracy.

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Jenny-RJenny-R Posts: 43
    I bought a very expensive Illumination Pink a few years ago, that never came back either.
  • PoppypussPoppypuss Posts: 90
    Many thanks for the heads up everyone, it was Illumination pink I was thinking of so what a disappointment that could have been! 
    @josua47 wow thanks for the offer I’d love to give it a go - I’ll try to PM you. 
    @Punkdoc I’ll definitely look up the D lutea and D ferruginea, hopefully if they can survive in Derbyshire they should do fine for me. 👍
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