Posted 8:37 am Thursday, May 10, 2012
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Chinese Foxglove: ‘Lovely Just The Same'
By DEE BISHOP
Smith County Master Gardener
It's too hot in Texas for the beautiful foxgloves often seen in magazine pictures. Oh, they may do OK, but they are seldom perennial and hardly ever grow tall and beautiful. So what do we do?
We plant Rehmannia elata, or Chinese Foxglove.
This foxglove gets about 2 feet high and spreads readily. The blooms aren't in a tight panicle of flowers like foxglove, but lovely just the same.
Slightly dangling blossoms do not deny being foxgloves, but the poor plant tries. Rehmannia plants never get more than a few inches high and spread underground before producing stems of the beautiful flowers all spring. I have had them bloom through early summer if it doesn't get too terribly hot.
Smith County Master Gardener
It's too hot in Texas for the beautiful foxgloves often seen in magazine pictures. Oh, they may do OK, but they are seldom perennial and hardly ever grow tall and beautiful. So what do we do?
We plant Rehmannia elata, or Chinese Foxglove.
This foxglove gets about 2 feet high and spreads readily. The blooms aren't in a tight panicle of flowers like foxglove, but lovely just the same.
Slightly dangling blossoms do not deny being foxgloves, but the poor plant tries. Rehmannia plants never get more than a few inches high and spread underground before producing stems of the beautiful flowers all spring. I have had them bloom through early summer if it doesn't get too terribly hot.
The great thing is these plants a will live for years; however they can die in a severe winter if they get too much water. I love these strewn throughout a perennial garden. They need moist but well-drained soil preferring full sun to a bit of shade. They will flop in too much shade. I feel Chinese Foxgloves need to be used more in Texas gardens.
Take a look at the ones we have growing in the IDEA Garden. Go through the south gate and proceed around the walk to the left. You will find them to the right of the phlox.
It is difficult to find these plants in nurseries around here, but you can find the seeds in a good seed catalog and grow your own. They are easily grown from seed. Who knows, we may even offer some in our fall bulb-plant sale.
Dee Bishop is a Smith County Master Gardener. She writes about things blooming in Tyler Municipal Rose Garden.
Take a look at the ones we have growing in the IDEA Garden. Go through the south gate and proceed around the walk to the left. You will find them to the right of the phlox.
It is difficult to find these plants in nurseries around here, but you can find the seeds in a good seed catalog and grow your own. They are easily grown from seed. Who knows, we may even offer some in our fall bulb-plant sale.
Dee Bishop is a Smith County Master Gardener. She writes about things blooming in Tyler Municipal Rose Garden.
