Mullein Foxglove is a compact perennial foxglove that brings the classic charm of cottage gardens without overwhelming your borders. Reaching just 18-24 inches tall, this Spanish cultivar produces pendulous, funnel-shaped pink flowers in terminal racemes from June through July, rising from basal rosettes of softly downy foliage. Hardy from zones 5-9 and remarkably low-maintenance, it thrives in full sun to partial shade with moderate water and tolerates dry conditions once established. Unlike its taller cousins, this variety maintains its shape beautifully and rarely needs staking, though spent flower spikes should be removed promptly as seed develops to keep plants looking tidy through summer.
Partial Sun
Moderate
5-9
24in H x 18in W
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Moderate
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The foliage alone sets this apart: each leaf is covered in distinctive yellowish, glandular hairs that catch the light and give the plant a soft, silvery appearance from a distance. Pink flowers bloom over an extended season, and because this is a true perennial (unlike annual foxglove species), you get reliable color year after year without relying on self-seeding. Deer leave it completely untouched, and it requires almost no intervention beyond basic deadheading to perform beautifully in the garden.
This is purely an ornamental plant, grown for its showy summer flowers and delicate, glandular-haired foliage in borders, cottage gardens, and mixed perennial plantings. Its compact stature and low-maintenance nature make it suitable for smaller gardens and containers where taller foxglove varieties would overwhelm the space.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Remove spent flower spikes immediately after bloom to prevent the plant from becoming unsightly as seed develops. The source notes that new plants from self-sown seed reportedly do not come true from seed, so removing spent spikes serves both aesthetic and breeding purposes. Beyond deadheading, no other pruning is required for this low-maintenance perennial.
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“Digitalis thapsi originates from Spain and represents a distinct species within the foxglove genus, offering gardeners a perennial alternative to the more familiar biennial Digitalis purpurea. The 'Spanish Peaks' cultivar has been selected and maintained for its compact habit and reliably perennial nature, making it more garden-friendly than taller wild-type plants that can become leggy and require division.”