Mourning a plant they tell me wont live but two years... will it really die?

[tinkster]

I bought this last year as a no name in one of lowes .25 sales.  It didnt do anything last year but this year it bloomed and Im thinking its a lupine but a friend in a garden club says its biennial and that it will bloom this year and not come back next year. I cant imagine have to replant it every two years and have a blank spot for the first year it doesnt bloom.

tink

[KatFish]

Is that Foxglove?  Lovely.

[Johns]

Your friend is correct, the plant, digitalis, is a bennial.  But, it often self seeds.  To enjoy them every year, buy one or start one from seed every year.

[Joyce]

What John said, It will die but it will also reseed all over so you will get successive blooming plants for years.

If you want a true perennial foxglove look for Digitalis mertonensis. 

[Esther]

It is pretty, isn't it? I have lots of lupine if you want some. I don't now how well it would ship but could get you seeds if that didn't work. The Lupine not only reseeds almost like a weed, but is a perennial too. I love mine and saw a lot of them in Alaska. Maybe they were a different type.

[tinkster]

thanks yall!   esther, I am reading that they have very deep taproots and almost impossible to move unless you get babies in the fall.  Yours reseeds and comes back every year I take it?  if that is the case, I wont worry so much.  I would like to find me some seeds from different colored ones.  If you have seeds that would be great, I woulddn want you to risk killing them by digging. Thanks!

tink

[tinkster]

ya know.. another thought.. lowes are selling these things right now as big almost as mine with blooms... arent those people gonna be highly upset when it dont come back next year

tink

[miguynmkoi]

Tink, I was very sad when I found out foxgloves die back every other year too.  This is the first year my floxgloves survived snails to flower - thanks to vigorous snail bait!  I'm hoping they reseed for next year too.

It's a jungle but can you see my foxgloves?! 

[Esther]

Got lots of Lupine. Last year I pulled them out by the handful. I'll see what's out there right now. Things are getting ahead of me this year. Between my gimpy hip, and spring coming so soon and summer coming so early, I haven't really weeded the flower bed along the pool thoroughly and that's where the Lupine is. I'll see what happens when I get out there. Guess I'd best do it early tomorrow morning. This old lady can't take this heat and humidy so much any more. That Foxglove is beautiful but I don't know if I want to fiddle with it every other year.

[Sunbeam56]

I love all these plants that look like cool weather. 

Its hot here already. Time to plant cactus... 

[Holldoll]

I love foxglove, they are one of my favorites. At Mt. Vernon they say that George Washington had them. They are highly poisonous for dogs though.  If you have puppies make sure you keep them away from them.

[Joyce]

They are highly poisonous to everything including kids. 
Make sure your kids can't get into them first.

[Holldoll]

Thanks for the tip! Didn't realize they were poisonous to everyone! Same reason that I can't have a lot of plants. Bella LOVES to taste everything!

[jclements]

Annette, what is your vigorous snail bait? They are destroying my hostas!!! I've heard to place a saucer of beer in the garden...

[karen J]

Funny how it's poisonous to pretty much everything (livestock, pets, people), yet digitalis can be used to treat people who are experiencing atrial fibrillation. It's the dosage that makes the poison.

[LeeAnne151]

I have dug up and moved foxglove seedlings it is not impossible at all and I don't recall any huge taproots. When they are done blooming and starting to seed I cut off the long stems and shake them over the areas of the flower beds where I want seedlings. Sometimes the plant will bloom again but they often look ratty with spider mite damage here.

[Joyce]

Jessica, I think she meant the brand Vigoro...
http://www.vigoro.com/ProductCategories/SpecialtyProducts/SnailSlugKillerPellets/

I use Orthos Bug Geta. And you don't have to use much...it REALLY attracts the slugs and kills 'em.
I apply it half strength, like one pellet every 6" or so and it really gets 'em.
http://www.scotts.com/smg/catalog/productTemplate.jsp?proId=prod70016
You'll see them the morning after application dying in huge slime puddles as they do their death dance. 

[Johns]

Digitalis is poison if ingested.  There are many garden plants that are poison, even some that are commonly used as food.  Rhubarb leaves contain lethal amounts of oxalic acid.  Peach pits contain amygdalin, which becomes cyanide in the digestive tract.  Apple seeds also contain amygdalin.  But the most poisonous risk found in many flower gardens is Ricin, or castor bean plants.  The seeds, which are attractive, contain enough poison to kill an adult, and children should be warned or kept away from them. there is no antidote for ricin poisoning.

And on the subject of poison, most snail and slug bait contains metaldehyde, which is poison to all mammals as well as to slugs.

[karen J]

But the most poisonous risk found in many flower gardens is Ricin, or castor bean plants.  The seeds, which are attractive, contain enough poison to kill an adult, and children should be warned or kept away from them. there is no antidote for ricin poisoning.

I stopped growing castor bean plants...one day I went into my garage only to find my son stomping on the bag of seeds. That was it. My kids already give me enough reasons to pop an aneurism- I don't want any more.

[Holldoll]

castor bean plants are the one I was thinking of that I love to look at but won't have.  I couldn't remember the name.

[miguynmkoi]

I use Corry's Slug & Snail Death in my flower beds.  Follow the directions and you should be close to snail and slug free during the hotter months.  I pray snails and slugs do not get in my vege garden. 

[LeeAnne151]

I use Sluggo which is based on iron and non toxic to pets and wildlife.

[Holldoll]

I use Sluggo too.