Digitalis purpurea - Foxglove - (Scrophulariaceae)

Wherever soil is disturbed, either by forestry clear-felling or earth moving prior to construction work, foxgloves are among the first wild flowers to appear. In hedgerows facing the sunny south, they provide a splendid display throughout the summer months. These lovely flowers re found throughout the UK and most of Europe, even as far south as the Algarve region of Portugal.

Foxgloves

Foxgloves are biennials, although occasionally plants can live longer than two years.

A closeup of the flowers of Foxglove

The lips of the flowers have lovely markings

As well as purple flowers, you may see white foxgloves and occasionally pale pink ones. They can grow to well over a metre in height and are a welcome sight on the banks of rivers, lakes and canals. Foxgloves do not thrive in heavy, wet soils, and do best in sandy, well-drained areas, especially in a year after the soil has been disturbed, for example by tree felling work.

A pale-coloured Foxglove

Occasionally pale pink or yellow Foxgloves appear.

The plants on this page were all photographed in West Wales.