Digitalis Arctic Fox™ Rose

Digitalis Arctic Fox™ Rose: Rosy Foxglove, No Waiting Around

Dark rose on the outside, pale and creamy on the inside, this foxglove is basically a chocolate truffle on a stick. It flowers the first year and reblooms with a little deadheading. THE HUMMINGBIRDS ARE OFFICIALLY OBSESSED.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Digitalis hybrid
• Common Name: Foxglove
• Series: Arctic Fox™, from Darwin Perennials (cultivar 'Balroxose')
• Height: 46–61 cm (18–24 in)
• Spread: 41–46 cm (16–18 in)
• Flowers: Dark rose bells, pale pink to cream inside, with lightly speckled throats
• Bloom Time: Late spring through late summer (June to August)
• Foliage: Dark green, lance-shaped leaves in a compact clump
• Features: First-year flowering, reblooms with deadheading
• Plant Patent: USPP 31,900

Where to Plant: Use it for vertical punctuation in the middle of a sunny border, or as the tall piece in a container. It is a natural in cottage gardens and pollinator plantings.

Companion Plants: Edge the bed with Calamintha nepeta 'Blue Cloud', a low, airy mound of blue from June to September. Anemone 'September Charm' brings pink flowers at 80 to 90 cm from August to October, carrying on after the foxglove. For early height, Allium 'Ambassador' adds purple globes on 90 to 120 cm stems in May and June. Sun or part sun suits all three.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun to part sun in moist, well-drained soil with some compost mixed in. Afternoon shade helps in hot spots. Keep it out of wet clay over winter. Water regularly, especially in the first season. Cut finished spikes down to the foliage to push out new flowering shoots. Tidy the leaves in late fall or early spring. A winter mulch is a good idea in colder zone 5 gardens. All parts are toxic if eaten, so wear gloves and plant it away from curious pets.

History: Darwin Perennials introduced the Arctic Fox™ series at the California Spring Trials in 2019, bred to flower in the first year without needing a winter chill. The genus name Digitalis comes from the Latin for finger, because the bell-shaped flowers slip over a fingertip.

Final Thoughts: Short enough for a container, bold enough for a border. BUY IT BEFORE THE NEIGHBOURS DO.