Viloria (Digitales purpurea)

The plant known as
Digitalis purpurea
is very popular in temperate gardens, because although its life cycle is only two years, it produces so many flowers that it makes the crop worthwhile.

What’s more, you can even have it in pots, something you will surely love to know if you don’t have land where to plant it or if you simply want to decorate your patio or terrace with such a floriferous species.

It is a biennial plant – it lives for two years – native to Europe, northwest Africa and central and western Asia, whose scientific name is Digitalis purpurea. It is popularly known as thimble, digital, cartridge, honey sucker, bilicrocks, gauntlet, staxon or viluria. Today, it has become naturalized in South America, specifically in Chile and Argentina.

It reaches a height of up to 2.5 meters including the flowering stem. During the first year it forms a rosette of basal leaves, oval in shape and with a toothed margin, and in the second year the flower stalk appears covered with sessile leaves. The flowers are grouped in terminal hanging clusters, and are tubular, up to 5cm long and ranging in color from pale yellow to purple. It blooms in summer. The fruit is a capsule filled with seeds.

All its parts are toxic.

The foxglove is a plant that needs to be outdoors to feel the passing of the seasons. But it is also important that it is in full sun, except if you are going to have it in the Mediterranean, then it will be better if it is sheltered.

• Garden: grows in soils rich in organic matter, loose, fertile and slightly acidic. In limestone and compact soils, it does not work very well (I say this from experience).
• Pot: I advise to put a first layer of arlite, volcanic clay, washed river sand or similar to improve drainage, and then finish filling it with universal growing medium.