What is a fox glove to you?

[4390evans]

I have always thought it was a bi-annual perennial but apparently some people class it as a herbaceous plant like we do in store as its in the herbaceous area for customers...

I am doing this for my work book and want to get it right..

Thanks guys.

[Bigmallly]

Foxgloves are biennial so grow leaves but only flower on the 2nd year.

[4390evans]

Yeah but is it classed as a perennial or herbaceous?

[mothhawk]

Herbaceous plants are those which have no woody bits above ground, so can be annuals, biennials or perennials.

So as BM says a foxglove is biennial, and it is also herbaceous. It will grow from seed the first year, making a rosette of leaves, and the next year it will flower and produce seed, then generally it will die in the autumn.

[mothhawk]

Yeah but is it classed as a perennial or herbaceous?

Herbaceous biennial

[Thelma Sanders]

I know that Digitalis purpurea (and Alba) are biennial but many modern bred foxgloves are classed as short lived perennials

I sowed this one
Digitalis Dalmatian Peach Plants from Mr Fothergill's Seeds and Plants

in Sept 2014, they flowered in 2015 and are still growing strongly

[WendyC]

To me herbaceous describes the nature of the plant. As Mothhawk said no woody branches. Annual, biennial and perennial tells us more about it's life cycle.

[veggiechicken]

I have always thought it was a bi-annual perennial

A bi-annual perennial would flower twice a year for several years...........or, it might flower every other year for several years.

I think of Foxgloves as Digitalis and that they are biennial - flower in their 2nd year, set seed and die.

As Thelma says, there are modern varieties that will live for a few years (short lived perennials). I expect that your garden centre sells these, not the common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea).

[4390evans]

Yeah its digitalis purpurea VC bit we get massive ones in around the chealsea flower show, cant remember what type they are.

I always took a herbaceous plant to be something that dies back at the end of its season but its still alive underground waiting to regrow in spring.

Its quite confusing the set up they have as thry also have Ophiopogon in there and Im sure that is a rhizome?

I try to get info from my boss but I think I might come across a bit demanding as one question leads to another and I think I confuse him and myself! haha

[roitelet]

I have ordinary wild foxgloves and some of them have gone on flowering for several years. They don't die back each year but keep a rosette of leaves all year. A bit confusing!!

[veggiechicken]

I have the wild ones too and the leaves are there at the moment - though whether they are self-sown seedlings or last year's plants I know not.

[Knight of Albion]

A beautiful wild flower. I always marvel at the way the bees so determinedly work the flowers one after another.
And they remind me of my late grandparent's home in the Berkshire countryside.

[Martin H]

I always have some, too. They never grow where I want them but they pop up all over the place, so I just move the young plants into the dark shady corners in the autumn. They look best peeping out of the shady places, I think, and they are quite happy there.

Yes they will often do a second year, but they aren't as strong and healthy as fresh ones so I pull them all up in the autumn after they have dropped some seed, fork over the soil and replace with the self-seeded ones.

[Nicos]

They should also come under the classification of toxic and carry a public warning.

If I just touch the leaves I get metallic taste in my mouth and then my heart starts racing and I feel really sick /ill.
Pretty plant yes, but potentially dangerous if eaten.

[ancee]

Theyve decided to grow in my garden. I haven't planted any, they pop up all over. But I just move them on. These ones are a really lovely shade of pink. Don't mind them at all. They are toxic though, so I don't have them in the veg beds.