Strawberry Foxglove is a striking hybrid perennial that brings dramatic color and towering spires to the garden from May through June. This tetraploid cross between biennial purple foxglove and perennial yellow foxglove produces flowers substantially larger than either parent, with coppery-rose tubular blooms densely packed along 3 to 4 foot tall stalks. Hardy in zones 4 through 8, it thrives in full sun to partial shade and requires only moderate water and low maintenance once established. Though technically a short-lived perennial (often persisting just 2 to 3 years), it rewards gardeners with showy, hummingbird-attracting flowers that naturalize beautifully in the landscape and resist deer pressure.
Partial Sun
Moderate
4-8
48in H x 24in W
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Moderate
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The flowers themselves are the real draw here: pendulous, coppery-rose tubes that stretch 2 to 3 inches long and crowd tightly along each spike, creating a dense column of bloom that's substantially showier than any of its wild ancestors. Hummingbirds find them irresistible, and the plant stands tall enough (36 to 48 inches) to anchor the middle or back of a border without looking spindly. Its hybrid vigor lets it grow as a genuine perennial in cooler zones where its purple foxglove parent would biennial itself out.
Strawberry Foxglove is grown purely as an ornamental, prized for naturalizing in mixed borders, woodland edges, and cottage gardens where its tall spires add vertical emphasis and attract hummingbirds and other pollinators. The deer resistance makes it especially valuable in gardens where wildlife browsing is a persistent challenge.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Deadhead spent flower spikes after bloom to encourage a secondary flush and extend the flowering season, though leaving some flowers intact allows the plant to self-seed for future generations. Once flowering is complete, you can cut back the foliage or leave it standing for winter interest and to allow self-seeding.
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“Strawberry Foxglove is a deliberate hybrid, born from crossing Digitalis purpurea (the classic biennial purple foxglove of European cottage gardens) with Digitalis grandiflora (a hardy perennial species). This cross produced a tetraploid plant, meaning its cells carry four sets of chromosomes instead of the usual two, which often results in larger, more vigorous offspring. The Merton name in its scientific designation points to the John Innes Institute at Merton in Surrey, England, where much ornamental plant breeding occurred in the 20th century. What emerged was a plant that captures the towering elegance of both parents while adding the stamina to persist as a true perennial in most climates.”