Digitalis purpurea ‘Camelot Lavender’ (Common Foxglove)

Providing architectural height to borders, Digitalis purpurea ‘Camelot Lavender’ (Common Foxglove) is an eye-catching biennial or short-lived perennial boasting tall spires of outward-facing, funnel-shaped, pale lavender flowers delicately speckled with maroon in the throat. Blooming profusely from early summer to midsummer, ‘Camelot Lavender’ forms many sturdy, high-quality secondary flower spikes, which extend the bloom time to over 4 weeks in many instances. The flowers appear in the first rather than second year and grow all round the spikes rather than on one side. Rising from a basal rosette of deep green oval leaves on strong stems, the blooms are attractive to hummingbirds, which hover near the tubular blossoms, and to birds which will flock to the seedheads in the fall.

‘Camelot Lavender’ is a member of the ‘Camelot Series’, introduced in 2003, and is noted for its many desirable characteristics such as high germination rate, uniform growth and more reliable first-year flowering.

• Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society
• Grows vigorously up to 3-4 ft. high (90-120 cm) and spreads 18-24 in. (45-60 cm).
• Performs best in full sun to part shade, in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils. Prefers a humus-rich soil in partial shade, but will grow in full sun. Deer, rabbit resistant and urban pollution tolerant.
• Easy to grow, Foxglove is a welcomed addition to beds and borders, woodlands or naturalized areas. Perfect foil in front of shrubs or dark backgrounds. For best visual impact, plant Floxgloves in groups of 3 to 4 plants.
• Propagate by seed, sown in spring; it is an F1 hybrid, so plants from self-seeding will not come true. Camelot will flower reliably the first year and will bloom heavily in the second year.
• Self-seeds freely under optimum growing conditions. Deadhead after flowering to avoid problems with excess numbers of seedlings.
• Keep an eye out for aphids, leaf and bud eelworm, leaf spots and powdery mildew.
• Highly toxic by ingestion. Wear gloves and wash hands after handling.
• Toxic to dogs, toxic to cats, toxic to horses, toxic to humans.
• Digitalis purpurea is native to and widespread throughout most of temperate Europe.
• Find where Digitalis purpurea species is invasive in the United States.
• Discover beautiful U.S. native plant alternatives.