Nervous Foxglove Plant Care

Nervous Foxglove (Digitalis nervosa) belongs to the Plantaginaceae family within the Digitalis genus. Nervous Foxglove is native to the Caucasus down to north western and northern Iran.

Nervous Foxglove displays an upright, spiky rosette growth habit, reaching up to 3 ft tall with a spread of approximately 1.5 ft. Nervous Foxglove produces tall spikes of tubular flowers in shades of pink, purple, white, or yellow.

Leaf size: approximately 6 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Nervous Foxglove every 7–10 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established shrubs mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Nervous Foxglove thrives in partial shade to full sun.

Digitalis nervosa tolerates temperatures of 50–75°F. Nervous Foxglove prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining, fertile soil with added compost or peat moss. Good drainage is essential for Nervous Foxglove to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Nervous Foxglove every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established shrubs in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with partial shade to full sun and well-draining, fertile soil with added compost or peat moss. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Nervous Foxglove is suited to USDA Zone 5a – 9b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped shrubs in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Nervous Foxglove can spread to about 2 ft (0.5 m) and reach about 3 ft (1 m) tall. Space plants about 2 ft (0.5 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the plant spacing calculator.

Prune Nervous Foxglove while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the shrub in one year.

Nervous Foxglove is hardy down to USDA zone 5a, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown shrubs need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Nervous Foxglove can be propagated through seeds. Similar propagation techniques also apply to rusty foxglove plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Nervous Foxglove is susceptible to aphids, slugs, snails. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Nervous Foxglove grows outdoors in USDA Zone 5a – 9b. It survives winters down to planting zone 5a. Nervous Foxglove is native to the Caucasus down to north western and northern Iran.