WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Digitalis obscura, WUCOLS IV

How often to water sunset foxglove in California

In July on the north-central coast, established sunset foxglove in loam needs a deep watering about every 9 days: about 1.5 gallons each time for a plant 2 feet across, about 1.1 gallons a week. Sunset foxglove is a short, shrubby foxglove from Spain, with narrow gray-green leaves. From late spring into summer its upright spikes carry rusty orange to yellow bells, veined and spotted red inside. It suits drier climates and gritty soil, and it prefers deep, spaced soakings to constant moisture. Wet winter soil can kill it.

PerennialRated for 3 of 6 zones

How often to water sunset foxglove, month by month

Your city
Plant width
2 ft
Your soil

Type your city above and the days between waterings and the gallons appear here, worked out from your city's climate table. Or read the figures by climate zone further down.

Every month, on your water days. The personal plan prints this for sunset foxglove and the rest of your yard, on the days your water supplier allows.Get the plan for $19

How this is worked out: established roots fill the top 1 foot of soil, and you water again when that soil has dried halfway. Loam soil holds about 1.5 inches of water per foot. Water the whole area the plant covers, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.

Which soil do you have?

Dig down a few inches, take a handful of moist soil and squeeze it.

  • Sandy: gritty, falls apart when you open your hand, will not form a ball.
  • Loam: forms a soft ball that crumbles when you poke it.
  • Clay: forms a firm, sticky ball and squeezes out into a ribbon between thumb and finger.

Still not sure? Pick loam. Most garden beds sit between sand and clay.

How to measure plant width

A shrub with its width marked from one side to the other and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the plant, from the tips of the leaves on one side to the tips on the other.

Water the whole area the plant covers, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that area.

A wider plant means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While it is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • Soil dry 3 inches down beside the leaf rosette during spring growth or bloom means it is time for a deep soak
  • Gray-green leaves that droop in afternoon heat and stay limp by evening, over dry soil, point to a thirsty plant
  • A rosette that yellows and goes soft at the base in cold, soggy soil points to rot from too much water
  • Leaves that stay wilted while the soil is wet for days mean the roots are failing, so stop watering and check drainage
  • Spotted or mildewed leaves point to leaf spot or mildew, which extra water will not fix

How to water it

  • Water at the base of the rosette with drip or a slow hose, keeping the leaves and flower spikes dry
  • Soak until water reaches 8 to 12 inches down, then let the top few inches dry before the next soak
  • Plant in gritty, fast-draining soil, and avoid heavy clay where winter water lingers around the crown
  • Spread a thin layer of gravel or fine bark around the plant, kept clear of the rosette
  • Widen the watered spot as the clump fills out and as self-sown seedlings root around it

Through the seasons

Water a new plant deeply through its first summer, until its roots grow out into the native soil. After that, deep soakings with drying between them suit it better than frequent light watering. Growth and bloom run from spring into summer, so soil checks matter most then. Cut the main spike as it fades to push side shoots into flower. Plants are often short lived, so let a few spikes set seed for replacements. WUCOLS rates sunset foxglove moderate water on the north-central coast, on the south coast and in South Inland. Winter rain covers the cool months along the coast. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the Central Valley. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to the high desert or the low desert.

In pots

Sunset foxglove grows 2 to 3 feet tall but stays narrow, so one plant fits a deep pot of gritty, fast-draining mix. Check the mix 2 inches down every few days in summer, and more often in South Inland heat. Water until it runs from the drainage holes, then empty the saucer. Give the pot afternoon shade in hot inland gardens. In winter, let the mix dry well between waterings, since cold, wet roots are the main danger for this plant.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
Not ratedWUCOLS does not rate Sunset Foxglove for the Central Valley zone
A year
no figure
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses

WUCOLS lists Sunset Foxglove as not evaluated for the Central Valley zone, so no monthly figure is computed here.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Sunset Foxglove: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.37–0.780.78––
Feb0.53–0.810.87––
Mar0.87–1.151.3––
Apr1.18–1.41.61––
May1.46–1.611.95––
Jun1.61–1.742.29––
Jul1.61–1.982.51––
Aug1.49–1.862.33––
Sep1.24–1.491.86––
Oct0.87–1.151.33––
Nov0.47–0.840.9––
Dec0.31–0.650.68––
Year12–15.518.41––

How this is worked out: the WUCOLS water rating for each zone times that zone’s climate for the month. A dash means WUCOLS does not rate the plant there. The figures are what the plant uses, before sprinkler losses.

Plants with the same water needs 16

Rated not evaluated in the Central Valley, like sunset foxglove. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

Lilyleaf LadybellsAdenophora liliifolianot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingArnicaArnica montananot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingFrilly BergeniaBergenia ciliatanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingCabbage on a StickBrighamia insignisnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingBasket PlantCallisia fragransnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingForest SedgeCarex sylvaticanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingUmbrella DracaenaDianella ensifolianot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingRusty FoxgloveDigitalis ferrugineanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingBig-Flowered FoxgloveDigitalis grandifloranot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingWoolly FoxgloveDigitalis lanatanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingMale FernDryopteris filix-masnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingAlpine Sea HollyEryngium alpinumnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingPurple SpurgeEuphorbia dulcisnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingQueen of the MeadowFilipendula ulmarianot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingDropwortFilipendula vulgaris (Filipendula hexapetala)not rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingGentianGentiana scabra procumbensnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes sunset foxglove, your sprinkler type and the month, and gives the minutes per water day for that supplier's schedule. Or put it in a zone of the personal watering plan and get all twelve months printed.

Questions people ask

How often should I water sunset foxglove in summer?

In July, established sunset foxglove in loam needs a deep watering about every 7 days on the south coast and about every 6 days in the South Inland zone. Sandy soil holds less water, so waterings come closer together. Clay stretches them. Check the soil before each watering and skip one after a soaking rain.

How much water does sunset foxglove need per day?

In July on the north-central coast, established sunset foxglove needs about 0.2 gallons a day for a plant 2 feet across and about 0.7 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.

Does watering for sunset foxglove change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates sunset foxglove separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, not evaluated in the Central Valley zone, moderate water in the South Coastal zone, moderate water in the South Inland zone, not suited to this region in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, not suited to this region in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

Is sunset foxglove poisonous?

Yes. Every part of the plant is highly toxic to people and pets if eaten, and the poison affects the heart. Wear gloves when you handle it, and plant it away from where children play.

How do I get sunset foxglove to bloom again?

Cut the main flower spike as it fades. Side shoots then grow and flower later in the season. Leave a spike or two in place if you want seedlings.

Does sunset foxglove come back every year?

It is a perennial, but often a short lived one, and many gardeners treat it as a biennial. Spikes left to ripen will self-seed and give you replacement plants. Soggy winter soil shortens its life further.

Can sunset foxglove grow in clay?

It tolerates most soils, but wet clay is the one it fails in. Choose a spot where water drains away after rain, or plant on a low mound. Gritty, well drained soil suits it best.

Will deer eat sunset foxglove?

It is listed as resistant to deer and rabbits. Its flowers draw bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. That makes it a good fit for an informal or wildlife garden.

Does sunset foxglove need sun or shade?

It grows in full sun or part shade. A sheltered, warm spot with some shade suits it well. In hot inland gardens, afternoon shade slows how fast the soil dries between soakings.

More plant watering guides

Cabbage on a StickBasket PlantForest SedgeAmerican HornbeamJapanese HornbeamChilean Feather BambooAmerican YellowwoodAnemone Clematis

Sources