A foxglove tree’s violet blooms are truly a gift to behold. These deciduous hardwood trees belong to the Paulowniaceae family and are native to China and Taiwan. Planted as a single tree, a Paulownia tomentosa can reach up to 15m tall, and they have strikingly thick and stiff, grey-felted shoots. They bloom between April and May, during which time their entire crown is covered with 20cm-long flower panicles. The panicles typically bear up to 30 individual flowers, which are each 3 to 12cm long. After foxglove trees bloom, their massive green leaves emerge, providing ample shade throughout summer.

As foxglove trees originate from warm regions, they readily adapt to hot urban climates and tolerate prolonged periods of heat and drought. This is just one of the reasons they are good trees for climate change. Not only are these trees better adapted to climate change than many native woody species, but their rapid growth and massive green leaves make them terrific CO2 guzzlers. Unfortunately, in areas with cold winters, the flower buds can freeze and, subsequently, the blooms will fail to appear.

Location:

Foxglove trees prefer sunny locations with well-drained soil. The soil’s pH range should be about 6.5 to 7.5. If the soil is too acidic, add some garden lime to lower the pH. If the soil in your garden is dense or clayey, work some sand into it to avoid waterlogging or long periods of moisture. For especially sandy soils, we recommend working some compost or potting soil into the substrate. Our Plantura Organic All Purpose Compost has a pH value of between 6.1 and 6.9. It is ideal for planting foxglove trees and many other woody plants and perennials. Make sure the soil is not too moist or rich in nutrients. This can cause the wood to grow too plump and can make it susceptible to frost.

Instructions for planting foxglove trees:

When: plant young trees after the last frost. Plant perennial root balls in March.

Planting distance: for picturesque and healthy growth, keep a 4m planting distance.

Planting hole: dig a hole 1.5 times the size of the root ball.

Soil: mix soil in the planting hole with sand or mature compost as needed.

Procedure: place the foxglove tree in the planting hole. Keep the root neck just above the soil surface. Press the soil down firmly. Use excess soil to form a watering rim, and water generously.

As the trees’ crowns and roots grow vigorously, keeping foxglove trees in pots permanently is not an option. Foxglove trees only tolerate growing in pots for the first few years.

Watering and fertilising

After planting, water your young foxglove tree regularly. Once it has established itself, it will need less water, and, in fact, copes well with drought. As a rule, foxglove trees do not need to be fertilised. If the soil is extremely poor, fertilise before June. However, feed sparingly, as too much fertiliser, especially nitrogen, can make branches more susceptible to frost damage in winter.

Pruning foxglove trees

Foxglove trees naturally form a main trunk that, depending on the species, grows more or less straight. Generally, pruning is not necessary. However, if your tree has frost damage, remove the dead shoots.

Some gardeners like to prune their foxglove tree to increase the height of the trunk. To do this, regularly remove the young side shoots until the desired crown height is reached. Omit pruning altogether to encourage a more densely branched, pyramidal tree. To avoid unwittingly removing flower buds, wait until after your foxglove tree has flowered to prune.

Are foxglove trees hardy?

Most foxglove tree species are hardy when fully grown. In warmer regions and sheltered locations, you can expect little to no frost damage. However, if you live somewhere cold, overwinter your potted foxglove trees in a frost-free but cool place.



Saplings will be available from March