Biennial Foxglove
Sutton's Apricot Foxglove is a striking heirloom cultivar of Digitalis purpurea that brings warm, peachy-apricot tones to spring and early summer gardens. Growing 36 to 42 inches tall in a narrow, elegant column, this shade-tolerant beauty thrives in USDA zones 4 through 4 and produces dense spikes of tubular flowers that rise above soft, velvety foliage. Deer avoid it entirely, and pollinators cannot resist its blooms, making it both a practical and magically animated choice for cottage gardens and mixed borders.
18-24 inches apart
Full Sun
Moderate
4-4
42in H x 18in W
Biennial
Moderate
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This is a foxglove that transforms the cool-toned palette most gardeners expect from the genus. The warm apricot coloring is genuinely distinctive, offering a softer alternative to the deep purples and pinks that dominate traditional Digitalis varieties. It maintains the architectural strength that makes foxgloves so valuable as vertical accents, yet its narrow mature width of just 12 to 18 inches means it slots seamlessly into crowded borders without demanding excessive space. The heirloom pedigree speaks to its longevity, this is a variety that has proven itself across generations of gardeners.
Foxgloves are grown almost exclusively as ornamental flowers, and Sutton's Apricot is prized for its role in providing vertical structure and romantic color to garden compositions. The tall spikes work beautifully in cut arrangements, where their unusual warm tone reads as sophisticated and slightly unexpected. Gardeners often position them at mid-border depth where their height doesn't create shade for shorter plants, or massed in groups where their collective impact creates real drama during the spring to summer bloom window.
Start seeds indoors 10 to 12 weeks before your last spring frost. Sow on the surface of germinating mix and press in lightly—these seeds require light to germinate and should never be covered with soil. Sprinkle a thin layer of vermiculite over the flat and cover with a humidity dome or clear plastic to retain moisture. Keep the temperature steady between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Germination typically occurs within 7 to 20 days.
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days before transplanting. Move them outside after your last spring frost when soil has warmed. Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart to allow for mature width and ensure good air circulation.
Direct sow after the last spring frost until early summer in a full-sun location. Surface sow the tiny seeds and press them in lightly—do not bury them, as light is required for germination.
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