First off, a clarification. I am aware of the definitions of both, however, the following year, when I check my beds, there are more of the "two", via self-seeding. So in effect, while annuals, they "come back" every year in the manner mentioned. So here are my two suggestions:


#1: Digitalis/Foxglove


An absolutely stunning plant, many varieties, and while they are annuals, they self-seed and are back in the same spot the next year. While I am a "nutcase" in trying to plant in singular colors, i.e. seperate Red, Pink, Yellow rose beds, etc. Each fall, I put gloves on and pick seed heads off, then in the Spring, I sprinkle them wherever. Beautiful and ellegant!

#2: Hesperes/Dame Rocket



I found these in a road ditch years ago. Think "Phlox" for flower size and similarity. They come in pink, lavender, white, purple and shades in between. They are about 4 -5' high, with a fragrance exactly of lilac. Yes, they are annuals, but reseed by themselves. Some refer to them as "invasive". I can't think of a nicer "invasive" implant to have. Note: They are very easy to pull out to keep them in check. Great cut flower when cut just before full blossom bloom.

I always thought foxgloves and Dame's Rocket were perennial or biennials

Ronnie, technically you are correct and I am not arguing your point. However, when both plants reseed themselves so that each year there are at least as many if not more in the beds without any human interference, "to me", they might just as well be perennials. LOL.

fwmosher said:So in effect, while annuals, they "come back" every year in the manner mentioned. So here are my two suggestions:
#1: Digitalis/Foxglove.

Hi Frank,

I am confused by the "logic" of your "clarification". But Ronnie is right, Foxgloves are not annuals.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

ZM

@fwmosher Frank do they bloom first year from seed for you? I may just sprinkle the seeds I have instead of winter sowing them.

Ronnie, there are several varieties of Foxglove/Digitalis listed in various catalogues, claiming to bloom in the first year, from seed and I have bought those seeds at one time or another and started some inside. As I both sprinkle "collected seeds" in early Spring, and also transplant "baby" plants, always found at or near the base of a dying "Mother" plant, I honestly can't answer your question. Those "babies" can be transplanted to wherever you want in Spring as soon as the ground can be worked. Very hardy! Digitalis seeds started inside early do invariably bloom the first year. I also collect "baby" plants in the Fall and overwinter same in my basement under lights. Cheers.

ZenMan. Things a little slow out there? My point was I was attempting to share with other readers, two beautiful garden plants, and I chose to do so on both the "Annual" and the "Perennial" forums for greater exposure to these two plants. There are references to same being both Biennials and Perennials. Whatever their classification, the net result is one will be able to enjoy these two beautiful plants each year, without having to lift a finger to accomplish that goal. What was your point? Oh yes.

fwmosher said:ZenMan. Things a little slow out there? ... What was your point? Oh yes.

My point was simply that Foxgloves aren't annuals.

We have wild fox glove here that are a very prolific wild flower for us. Most of our wild flowers are in the mountains or near water, but these grow everywhere, to be enjoyed. Our wild foxes are biennial, but they are puny 2 year old single stalk plants that cannot hold a candle to the Annual variety.

I looked for your seed Frank. @fwmoshy Lovely. Annual fox glove were first offered in 1966 as Foxy, according to Burpee's. Other seeds are sold to grow either as annual or biennial (the same seed) I would guess seeds need to be started early requiring warmth,

Logging is big business where I live. The transformation of a clear cut (property cleared of trees) in to a huge patch of tall Fox Glove is one of the most beautiful things to see here.
In clear cuts, where fg's always magically take over any newly logged property by seeds landing on the turned rich soft soil. The plants will remain short, spending energy on roots. They go unnoticed their first spring. Their second spring these tall flowers will just appear where they had never grown before and in thick patches. Thousands of tall bloom so tight it's a huge tall blurr of color. Flowers fade, seeds ripen and fall and the plants life cycle has ended.
The third year the display is about half as prolific, with a mixture of 1 and 2 year old plants. With the soil no longer bare seeds are less successful. The show is pretty much over with less and less returning until you only you see one or two.

In our gardens, here we can keep them easily by insuring the seeds find agreeable soil year after year. The maintenance for them is as easy as it gets. Slugs should be massacred as early and often as possible.

lauriebasler said:Annual fox glove were first offered in 1966 as Foxy, according to Burpee's.

Notice that the Burpee website lists Foxy foxglove as a perennial.
https://www.burpee.com/perenni...

ZM (not associated with any product or vendor mentioned or linked)

I think of both foxgloves and dame's rocket as biennials. I have no luck with any of the foxglove cultivars reseeding, but I do enjoy the wild ones that grow in the ditches. I've also never had luck with dame's rocket reseeding. Maybe I'm too aggressive with early spring weeding and don't recognize the first year seedlings. I'm envious of anyone who can rely on reseeding, whether it be annuals, biennials, or perennials. It's just rarely a happening thing for me.

I do too, Deb. It has always been my understanding perennials return from roots that survive the winter. I would guess that if there were a perfect garden and a perfect climate, no plant would be an annual there.
If I fall in love with an evergreen plant a member recommends as shrub or perennial and that member is in Florida, I may find it tagged as an annual here.
Maybe I am starting to understand why nurseries are refusing to give us decent tags.

edited. Oh bother. I am having some eye issues, with fluctuations in my sight. I have corrected this post, It was a real mess I did not even see just minutes ago. Off the forums today. Jibberish is not cool.

Taking a perennial to where it can't survive perennially does not make it an annual, but tagging it that way when sold where it can't survive perennially eliminates unrealistic expectations. True annuals can't survive perennially anywhere. Monocarpic plants that take longer than a year to complete their life cycle are often referred to as biennial, but some take much longer than 2 years to go through a complete cycle, like Bromeliads, some succulents, Sansevieria (I don't know about other species beyond trifasciata.)

Some foxgloves are perennial (D. lutea, D. grandiflora for example), others biennial (D. purpurea). If you sow the biennial type early enough to get a first year bloom, it'll probably die like a typical annual. Sometimes biennials can be fooled into returning another year by cutting down the spent flower stalk. Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) is a biennial.
Frank, your flowers are beautiful!

I've been afraid of Dames Rocket but I have grown foxglove. They are beautiful except I'm not crazy about the foliage. For me, they behaved as biennials and didn't reseed hardly at all. There is a botanical garden nearby that grows the white variety exclusively and it does reseed all over the property. It is very pretty in the woodland setting. Sorry no picture but I'll try this spring.