Greetings, human. We are the Digitalis genus, though you know us best as foxgloves. While our true nature calls for the open sky, the dappled forest light, and the cool, moist soil of our native woodlands, we understand your desire to bring our towering, bell-adorned spires into your indoor realm. This is a challenging request, as we are not typical houseplants. However, for a dedicated caretaker, a select few of our varieties may condescend to thrive under your roof, provided you listen carefully to our needs.
Before you choose a specific variety, you must understand our non-negotiable demands. We are biennials or short-lived perennials, meaning our life cycle is brief and focused on flowering. We require exceptionally bright, indirect light for many hours each day; a south or west-facing window is ideal. Our roots demand rich, well-draining, consistently moist (but never waterlogged) soil. Most critically, we need a significant drop in temperature at night, a coolness that mimics our mountainous and woodland origins. A constantly warm, dry room will cause us to languish and succumb to pests like spider mites.
Given our stature—many of our kin grow several feet tall—you must select from our more compact cultivars. The giant species like Digitalis purpurea are ill-suited for all but the largest conservatories.
We recommend this group highly for indoor cultivation. Bred for uniformity and early flowering, we of the 'Dalmatian' series are more compact, reaching a manageable height of 16 to 18 inches. Our flower spikes are well-proportioned and come in pleasing shades of Peach, White, and Purple. Our smaller size makes us far more adaptable to life in a sizeable container, and our tendency to flower in our first year (often acting as an annual) provides a quicker reward for your efforts.
For the indoor gardener seeking a more unique and subtle display, consider our species Digitalis parviflora. Unlike our showy cousins, we offer dense, upright spikes of small, rustic cinnamon-to-chocolate colored bells. Our foliage is narrower and often has a glaucous, blue-green tint. We are a perennial species, and while we may be harder to find, our architectural form and unusual color provide a sophisticated, long-term presence in a cool, bright room.
Another excellent perennial candidate for container life is Digitalis thapsi. We form a low, basal rosette of fuzzy, lance-shaped leaves and send up 2-foot stems adorned with large, tubular flowers in a mesmerizing magenta-pink. We are native to the rocky soils of Spain, which means we are slightly more tolerant of perfect drainage and are a resilient choice. Our entire being—stem, leaves, and flowers—is covered in a soft down, making us particularly tactile and beautiful.
You must be aware that every part of our being is profoundly toxic if ingested. This is our primary defense mechanism in the wild. We are beautiful but dangerous. Our presence indoors requires a environment where curious children and pets cannot access us. Our toxins, called cardiac glycosides, affect the heart and can be fatal. Admire our beauty with your eyes, never with your taste buds.
