Digitalis ciliata - Foxglove

The hairy foxglove or Digitalis ciliata is a wild plant, rare and beautiful, native to the Caucasus, which owes its name to the numerous fine hairs that cover its stems, leaves, and even its flowers. This rather stout species produces summer stems adorned with rather large tubular flowers, in a buttery yellow colour, which reveal a throat speckled with dark yellow. This short-lived perennial is best used in borders to be admired up close. Still rare in cultivation, the hairy foxglove is not difficult to grow in a garden, as it adapts to a wide variety of soils and climates.

Digitalis ciliata is a herbaceous perennial plant of the Plantaginaceae family. It is native to the Caucasus, where it grows in habitats as diverse as meadows, pastures, forest edges, and rocky slopes in mountainous regions.  It adapts very well to other growing conditions, provided it is given shade and a well-drained, damp, light soil. This bushy and erect foxglove will reach about 60 cm (24in) in height when in flower and will spread over 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20in). Starting from the stump, several hairy stems bear narrow leaves, 10 to 12 cm (4 to 5in) long.  These are decorative smooth, shiny, and a somewhat olive green shade, arranged in a helix on the lower 2/3 of the peduncle. This elongates in late spring, bearing numerous slightly flared tubular flowers, 3 to 4 cm (1 to 2in) long. Each flower, covered with hairs and of a light yellow colour, shows a throat speckled with beige-yellow. This flowering, which takes place from May-June to July, is nectar-rich and attractive to bees. This foxglove readily self-seeds where it is happy.

Some foxgloves are perfectly perennial, others are rather biennial with such a propensity to self-seed that they can be considered perennial. All are highly toxic if ingested, but not through contact. The ciliate foxglove is a very beautiful plant, unique with its bushy and low habit. It deserves a place in borders, alongside perennial geraniums (Geranium phaeum, clarkei, renardii, sylvaticum), or hellebores. It looks stunning on a carpet of black-leaved Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens'. It prefers partial shade or sun but not scorching sun.  Plant in light, damp to dry, well-draining soil.

It is also a plant extensively studied in pharmacology, as it contains interesting molecules in its tissues, used particularly in the treatment of cardiac and cancer pathologies.