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Merton Foxglove

Digitalis x mertonensis

$11.99
$11.99 $0.00
per Plant - 3" Pot
Sale |
ZONES  4-8 | Good to grow! Zone

Blooming in a lovely shade of coppery rose, Foxglove ‘Mertonensis’ brings tall stalks of bell-shaped flowers and tidy green foliage to the back border. Growing 3-4’ tall, this biennial foxglove is happiest in full to part shade gardens and is easy to care for. Cutting plants back to their base after flowers have faded may bring a second round of blooms. Deer resistant. (Digitalis x mertonensis)

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Description

Merton, also known as Strawberry Foxglove, grows to a maximum of 3-4 ft. This foxglove is a short-lived perennial which can be treated in the garden as a biennial. It grows foliage in the first year, and blooms in the second year. Please note that our Merton will be shipped to you in its second year of growth, so you will have blooms!

By letting seeds form, new Merton Foxgloves will self-sow and produce future generations. These new plants can be moved in their first year when they are still small.

Merton Foxglove is the result of a breakthrough in 1928, when a cross between wild biennial foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) and perennial foxglove (Digitalis grandiflora) was accomplished in Merton, England.

Perennial expert, Alan Armitage says, "This is one of my favorite plants, and that's quite an endorsement." Merton foxgloves have rosy-colored flowers, rather than the purple of the wild biennial. Many people call them strawberry red. Mr. Armitage calls the color coppery-rose, and says passers-by never fail to notice the beautiful spires of bloom.

Planting & Care

The Foxglove Story The very important Wild Foxglove, Digitalis purpurea is a native of the UK, naturalized in the US, and famous for being used for Digitalis, the life-saving heart medicine. However, Wild Foxglove is a biennial which often makes it undependable in perennial plantings. But since the twenties, there have been beautiful perennial foxgloves too, a little shorter, but just as beautiful as the towering purpureas.

The great breakthrough came when a cross was accomplished in Merton, England in 1928 between the famous biennial wildflower and the perennial species, Digitalis grandiflora. The perennial foxglove has ever since been called Digitalis mertonensis, named after the town. However, Mertonensis gives us only one color.

Now, the Foxy Hybrids take their places in the foxglove line-up, bringing all the colors back with the biennial issue solved.

Further Reading:

Shipping

As soon as your order is placed you will receive a confirmation email. You will receive a second email the day your order ships telling you how it has been sent. Some perennials are shipped as potted plants, some as perennial roots packed in peat.  The ‘Plant Information’ section describes how that item will ship. All perennials and fall-planted bulbs are packaged to withstand shipping and are fully-guaranteed. Please open upon receipt and follow the instructions included.

Perennials and fall-planted bulbs are shipped at the proper planting time for your Growing Zone. Perennial and fall-planted bulb orders will arrive separately from seeds. If your order requires more than one shipment and all items are shipping to the same address, there is no additional shipping charge. See our shipping information page for approximate ship dates and more detailed information. If you have any questions, please call Customer Service at (802) 227-7200 or contact us by email or chat.

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Key Features

Light Requirements

  • Full Shade
  • Half Sun / Half Shade

Bloom Time

Early to mid summer

Advantages

  • Bee Friendly
  • Attracts Butterflies
  • Attracts Hummingbirds
  • Attracts Birds
  • Cut Flowers
  • Deer Resistant
  • Rabbit Resistant

Additional information

Mature Height

36-48" tall

Mature Spread

12-24" wide

Soil Type

  • Loamy Soil
  • Clay Soil
  • Acidic Soil
  • Well-Drained Soil

Soil Moisture

  • Average
  • Moist / Wet

Planting Depth

The base of the stem(s) should be just at the soil surface after watering in

Planting Time

  • Spring / Summer

Flower Size

8-12" flowers

Plant Classification

Introduced Cultivar

Growing Zones

  • Zone 4
  • Zone 5
  • Zone 6
  • Zone 7
  • Zone 8

Additional Information

Biennial. Blooms second year.
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Overall rating: 5.0 / 5 from 5 reviews.

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Reviews

great flower

"unlike other companies, there was no notification of shipment. Packed well, plants in wonderful shape. Showed up at my door step unexpectedly."

— Marquito (5/5)

slow growth, surpised by large size

"never been disappointed with American meadows. . ."

— Marquito (5/5)

small but cute

"I bought two of them. They were tiny but, regardless of the size, they aready bloomed. Naturaly, they did not look like at the picture as they were very small. Nevertheless, I am very happy with the color."

— Ania (5/5)

Beautiful!

"I planted this Foxglove in the part of my garden when it gets 4-6 hours of sun; more in the summer. It bloomed beautifully and had many offsprings. I replanted some of the off springs and they seem to be doing all right. After the bloom it turned a bit yellow, but I have a feeling it will green up with the upcoming rain season. In the meantime, the second one I ordered, is dark green, big, and gorgeous. It's regular shape dos not take too much space but feels the gaps in between other plants perfectly!"

— Sehera (5/5)

Beautiful!

"I planted this Foxglove in the part of my garden where it gets minimum of 4 - 6 hours of sun daily; more in the summer. It bloomed beautifully for a long time and had many off springs. I ordered the second one and this too is now fully grown with dark green leaves, (not blooming yet). The fisrt one yellowed up a little after the blooming was over, so I'm watching it to see if it will bloom again the following season. In the meantime, I replanted one of its off springs and it seems to be doing all right."

— Sehera (5/5)

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