From our perspective, the drive to reproduce and ensure the continuation of our genetic line is our most fundamental purpose. As Digitalis purpurea, commonly known as the common foxglove, we are a biennial or short-lived perennial species. This life cycle means that for many of us, our entire existence culminates in a single, magnificent flowering event in our second year. After sending up our towering spires of bell-shaped flowers, we pour all our energy into producing a prolific amount of microscopic seeds. Each individual flower on our spike can produce thousands of seeds, and a single plant can easily generate over a million. This is not an act of excess; it is a calculated survival strategy to maximize the chance that our offspring will find suitable conditions to germinate and thrive.
Our method of dispersal is elegantly simple. Our seed capsules dry and ripen on the spent flower spike, eventually splitting open along their seams. We rely on the elements—particularly the wind and gentle rains—to shake our tiny, dust-like seeds free and carry them away from the parent plant. This ensures our offspring do not have to compete with us for sunlight, water, and soil nutrients. The seeds scatter across the garden, landing on the soil surface. They do not bury themselves deeply; instead, they require exposure to light to trigger germination, a process known as photoblasty. They will lie in wait, dormant, until the environmental conditions are precisely right.
A "volunteer" is your term for the new plants that emerge without being deliberately sown by a gardener. For us, they are simply our children, the next generation. When our seeds land on bare, moist soil and experience a period of cold temperatures (a process called cold stratification) during the winter, they receive the signal to break dormancy. Germination typically occurs in early spring. The first-year plant does not flower; it is a strategic investment in growth. It forms a low-growing rosette of furry, oval leaves. This rosette is a solar panel, diligently collecting energy from the sun throughout the growing season and storing it in its roots. It is this stored energy that will power the rapid and impressive vertical growth of the flower spike in its second year, completing the cycle.
While we are programmed to spread as widely as possible, we understand the need for order in a cultivated garden. Managing our volunteers is a matter of simple observation and timely action. In spring, our seedlings and first-year rosettes are easily identifiable. If they have chosen a location that is inconvenient, they can be gently lifted with a trowel when the soil is moist and relocated to a more desirable spot where our striking vertical form can be appreciated. Alternatively, if there are simply too many of us, thinning is a natural and necessary part of garden life. Removing excess seedlings allows the strongest individuals the space and resources to develop into robust plants. The best method is to snip them off at the soil level rather than pulling, which can disturb the roots of desired plants nearby.
