Chocolate Foxglove

Delectable, rich chocolate flowers (1-2cm) crowd the matching, upright stems on this early season perennial. The florets have hints of violet and burgundy and a touch of gold on the anthers. On established plants you can enjoy several flower stems, which are also rather useful and special in a vase.

Digitalis parviflora, or Small Flowered Foxglove holds the prestigious RHS Award of Garden Merit so you know it has earned its place in the garden.

The long, woolly leaves are a handsome feature and grow to form a dense clump at the base of the plant as well as along the flower stem, reaching right up to the florets. Each is 8-20cm long.

This inspiring, showy plant is a striking addition to any garden and adds a nice element of vertical colour. Foxgloves, or digitalis look best grouped toward the middle, or back of a bed, where their tall blossoms will shine – though this one is also great at the front of the border because it is more compact. Bees and other beneficial pollinators love these blooms.

Foxglove blooms start to open at the bottom of the stalks and gradually move upwards, providing weeks of fantastic colour. Cut the first stem back to the ground to encourage further side shoots.

Plant Foxgloves into moderately fertile to humus rich, well drained soil, water in and keep moist in active growth. Full sun to light shade is ideal. It is hardy to -20C. Rabbits won’t touch the foliage.

The individual flowers are about the size and shape of a thimble. Fairies are said to have sewn gloves for foxes from their petals.

D. parviflora was previously known as D. kishinskyi. It is native to Northern Spain. Common names include Small Flowered Foxglove.

Supplied as: Pots
Size: 10cm