Digitalis purpurea Yellow Spear - Foxglove seeds

Digitalis 'Yellow Spear' is a selection of foxglove purpurea that stands out for its flowers in shades of yellow, from greenish cream yellow to primrose yellow. Plants grown from seeds flower in the second year, from late spring to early summer. The foxglove and its varieties are easy to grow in cool, humus-bearing, well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade. It can be planted in borders and large flowerbeds, but also makes beautiful pots on the terrace.

The 'Yellow Spear' Foxglove is derived from the Digitalis purpurea, a wild plant of the Scrophulariaceae family. It is a biennial herbaceous plant, sometimes a short-lived perennial, developing a large 45 cm (18in)-diameter rosette of hairy, dark green, crenate, toothed leaves, whose lower surface is wrinkled, in spring. They are covered with slightly woolly, very light hairs. After a few months, usually in May-June, several hollow but sturdy floral stems emerge from each rosette. They average 1 m (3ft) high (between 80 cm (32in) and 1.20 m (4ft)). The inflorescences at the top of the stems are dense spikes of numerous large tubular flowers, opening from the bottom upwards. Each bell-shaped flower hosts many pollinating insects, tirelessly coming to feed on its nectar and pollen. If faded flowers are regularly removed, the flowering can renew in successive waves until September.

The 'Yellow Spear' foxglove is a true woodland edge plant, suitable for sparsely dense copses or alpine gardens, which tolerates competition from other roots, as long as the soil does not dry out too much in summer. In the north, it should be planted in a rather sunny position, while further south, it prefers partial shade and moisture. It can be grown at the foot of hedges or shrub borders, where it will flower abundantly. It pairs well with the white or blue bell flowers of bellflowers, the flowers of columbines, the heavy corollas of tea roses, and the large greenish pompoms of the annual poppy 'Applegreen'. You can also enjoy this wonder indoors by making sumptuous bouquets with delphiniums or white Chinese peonies, for example.

Caution, the plant is toxic if ingested, after handling, it is important to wash your hands thoroughly.

Caution, these seeds are reserved for experienced gardeners who are used to sowing very fine seeds. These seeds are as fine as dust, barely visible to the naked eye.