Purple False Foxglove (Agalinis purpurea) — Care, Growing Conditions & Wildlife Value

Growing Conditions

Light Sun – Part Shade

Water Moist – Medium

Soil Sandy

Size 1-3'

Bloom Pink-Purple, Aug–Oct

Why Grow It

Pollinator Magnet Attracts many types of pollinators

Late Bloomer Provides nectar when others have faded

Self-Seeding Returns each year from dropped seeds

Did You Know?

Purple False Foxglove is hemiparasitic — it taps into the roots of neighboring grasses using specialized structures called haustoria, stealing nutrients while still photosynthesizing on its own.

Each individual flower lasts only a single day, but the plant produces a continuous succession of blooms over several weeks.

It is a larval host plant for the Common Buckeye butterfly, whose caterpillars feed on the foliage.

Wildlife Value

🐝

Bumblebees Primary pollinators of tubular pink-purple flowers

🦋

Common Buckeye Caterpillars feed on foliage

🪰

Syrphid Flies Feed on pollen from late-season blooms

Good Companions

🌾 Little Bluestem 🌼 Stiff Goldenrod 💜 New England Aster 🌿 Switchgrass

Planting Guide

Sow seed on moist, open ground in fall for stratification.
Needs grass roots nearby; it is hemiparasitic on grasses.
Do not fertilize; thrives in lean, sandy or acidic soils.

Purple False Foxglove