Strawberry Foxglove

Digitalis x mertonensis (Digitalis x mertonensis) is a captivating, distinctively colored hybrid foxglove of genuine garden distinction — a cross between Digitalis purpurea and Digitalis grandiflora that combines the bold, architectural spike form of the common foxglove with warm, crushed-strawberry-pink to dusky rose coloring and subtly veined interior spotting that makes this hybrid one of the most romantically beautiful and botanically interesting foxgloves in cultivation. Crucially, unlike the biennial Digitalis purpurea, this is a true perennial — reliably returning each season with increasing vigor and floral presence, making it a more permanent and garden-investment-worthy addition to the border. The large, generously flared tubular blooms are carried in dense, upright spikes above attractive, softly textured, deep green basal foliage that remains handsome through the season.

This professional-grade 4" plant arrives with a healthy, well-established root system cultivated through professional horticultural practices — ready to settle in and build toward its spectacular late spring and summer bloom display. Strawberry Foxglove excels in cottage gardens, woodland-edge plantings, shaded and partly shaded borders, and mixed perennial designs where its warm, dusky pink tones and refined hybrid beauty create a sophisticated, romantic focal point of lasting seasonal character. It pairs magnificently with soft blue geraniums, white astrantias, silver-leaved stachys, and pale lavender salvias for richly layered, naturalistic garden compositions of enduring elegance.

• Warm Strawberry-Pink Blooms on Bold Architectural Spikes: Large, generously flared tubular flowers in warm crushed-strawberry-pink to dusky rose with subtly veined interior spotting are carried in dense upright spikes — a refined, romantically beautiful hybrid that delivers classic foxglove architecture in a uniquely warm and sophisticated color entirely its own.
• True Perennial — Returns Reliably Year After Year: Unlike the biennial Digitalis purpurea, Digitalis x mertonensis is a genuine perennial that returns each season with increasing vigor and a stronger, more impressive flowering presence — a more permanent, higher-value garden investment that earns its border space for years to come.
• Larger, More Generously Flared Blooms: The hybrid origin produces blooms that are subtly larger and more generously flared than many foxglove species — delivering enhanced visual presence and a more dramatic, refined floral display on each upright spike throughout the bloom season.
• Bumblebee & Hummingbird Specialist Plant: The large, tubular flowers are precisely adapted for bumblebees and hummingbirds — both of which enter the bloom tube to reach nectar — providing an ecologically intimate, genuinely thrilling wildlife interaction that makes this foxglove one of the most engaging plants in the summer border.
• Classic Cottage-Garden Woodland Elegance: Tall, stately spikes of warm-toned tubular blooms embody the timeless romantic spirit of the English cottage garden and woodland edge — a plant of enduring, classic beauty that integrates naturally into both traditional and contemporary garden designs with graceful architectural authority.

These 4" healthy live plants thrive in partial shade to full sun with fertile, consistently moist, humus-rich soil; benefits from afternoon shade in hot inland climates. Water regularly, keeping soil consistently moist. USDA Hardiness Zones 4–8; true perennial returning reliably, typically most prolific from its second year onward. Mature height: 30–40 inches in bloom; spread: 18–24 inches. Bloom time: late spring through midsummer. Divide every three to four years in early spring to maintain vigor. Caution: all parts of this plant are toxic if ingested — keep away from children and pets.