Yes — Strong Match
foxglove (zones 4-8) covers every zone District of Columbia contains (7b-8a), so hardiness is not what limits it anywhere in the state.
Foxglove in District of Columbia — the short answer
Foxglove in District of Columbia: hardy in zones 4–8, full sun, against a state median of ~254 frost-free days.
- Plant zones
- 4-8
- Manual horticultural correction (source not retained); NC State Extension and Missouri Botanical Garden, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation
- District of Columbia zones
- 7b-8a
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Mar 15 – Nov 24
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Typical season
- ~254 days
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — per-field provenance varies and is published with the dataset.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
District of Columbia spans zones 7b-8a, but your yard has its own microclimate — slope, trees, and low spots shift frost and sun across a single parcel. Enter your address and we'll score foxglove against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.
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Where in District of Columbia Fits Best
Even within District of Columbia's zones 7b-8a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for foxglove (USDA PHZM 2023):
Zone Comparison
Foxglove Needs
- USDA Zones: 4-8
- Frost-Free Days: 150+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 4 ft tall
- Picking window: ~30 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: Low
District of Columbia Has
- USDA Zones: 7b-8a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 15
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 24
- Annual Rainfall: 39-43 inches
- Common Soils: Urban fill, Silt loam, Clay loam
Plant Zone Range (zones 4-8)
Preferred Soil pH
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources — per-field provenance varies and is published with the dataset. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant Foxglove in District of Columbia
The frost window
Across District of Columbia, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 15 and Mar 15, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 24 and Nov 24 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 254-day window you can count on — up to 254 days on a mild site in a kind year. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost, so tender transplants usually wait another 2-3 weeks.
Frost tenderness
Foxglove is frost-tender — FAO ECOCROP puts its killing temperature at 32°F — so set plants out two to three weeks PAST your local last hard freeze, not on it and not on the state's earliest date. The 28°F marker above is when killing freezes stop, not when light frost does. That is the point where cold damages growing tissue, not a winter-survival floor — an established perennial comes through far colder while dormant, which is what its hardiness zone tells you.
When to start the seed
Those dates are when foxglove goes out, not when it starts. It is sown under cover about 8 weeks ahead, so counting back from District of Columbia's late-side last freeze of Mar 15 is what fixes your sowing date — and a yard that clears frost earlier than the state's late date starts earlier still.
Frost window: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020. Plant timing fields: Growable Ground Plant Database — frost-free days from FAO ECOCROP, days to harvest from university Extension production guides, and growing-degree-day and chill-hour minimums that are compilation estimates rather than published figures. Your site's own frost dates can run earlier or later than the state range — a parcel report pins them down.
Growing Season Fit
The zone check says foxglove survives winter here. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Foxglove wants 150+ frost-free days; a typical District of Columbia site sees ~254 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
GDD and chill-hour figures are computed from PRISM 1991-2020 monthly climate normals; frost-free days from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020. Each is the state median across its counties (P25/P75 span the within-state spread). Hardiness-zone range is USDA PHZM 2023.
Soil + Drainage Fit
Foxglove tolerates a wide pH range (pH 4.5-8.3) — 3.8 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in District of Columbia. A soil test is still worth having, but for what else it tells you about this site, not to clear this plant. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 5.5 and 6.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a District of Columbia soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells), excessive (dry/moderately dry). If your District of Columbia site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Plant pH requirements: FAO ECOCROP and USDA PLANTS, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation. Drainage: FAO ECOCROP, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation. District of Columbia soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
What Else to Consider for Foxglove in District of Columbia
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but District of Columbia growers also need to think about:
Dense urban siting means small lots, compacted fill soils, and limited sun
Summer heat and humidity promote fungal diseases
The urban heat-island effect pushes summer temperatures above surrounding suburbs
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every District of Columbia grower, not just foxglove — is covered on the District of Columbia growing guide.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Foxglove draws honeybees, native bees, and hummingbirds (high value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, foxglove can only work that bloom inside District of Columbia's frost window — roughly 254 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Mar 15) and closing at the first (Nov 24), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020. Deer pressure is meaningful across much of District of Columbia; foxglove is listed as deer-resistant (USDA PLANTS Database), which makes it a safer pick for unfenced sites. Our deer & wildlife guide carries the full deer-resistant list and how to protect the rest.
District of Columbia Cooperative Extension
For District of Columbia-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for foxglove, the canonical source is UDC Center for Urban Agriculture. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Foxglove native to District of Columbia?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Foxglove as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of District of Columbia's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few District of Columbia natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The District of Columbia growing guide lists USDA-documented natives for the state.
Native-range data: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution records, accessed 2026-07-01.
Common Questions About Growing Foxglove in District of Columbia
When can I plant Foxglove in District of Columbia?
District of Columbia's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 15 and Mar 15, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 24 and Nov 24 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Foxglove is frost-tender — its killing temperature is 32°F (FAO ECOCROP — the point where cold damages growing tissue, not a winter-survival floor) — so wait two to three weeks past your site's last hard freeze, when light frost has also stopped, before planting out.
What hardiness zone is Foxglove grown in across District of Columbia?
District of Columbia spans USDA hardiness zones 7b-8a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Foxglove carries a range of zones 4-8, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical District of Columbia site have?
A typical District of Columbia site sees ~254 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Foxglove needs 150+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date.
Is Foxglove native to District of Columbia?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Foxglove as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of District of Columbia's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few District of Columbia natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Foxglove in District of Columbia?
Foxglove tolerates pH 4.5-8.3 and well (dry spells), excessive (dry/moderately dry) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That is a 3.8-unit span, acid ground through alkaline, so pH is rarely what limits this plant on a District of Columbia site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Foxglove actually grow on my specific land in District of Columbia?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores foxglove against your address's exact soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost-date data drawn from USDA SSURGO, NOAA, and PRISM — not state averages.
Check your specific parcel in District of Columbia
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores foxglove against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that District of Columbia foxglove averages can't show:
We read public map data around District of Columbia — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Explore More
Growing guides for foxglove
Where else foxglove grows
Foxglove's zone band crosses state lines — these are the states closest to District of Columbia in winter climate where it also has a page, plus the far ends of its range. Each one re-answers the question with that state's own record.
More to grow in District of Columbia
District of Columbia has a growing page for 1,013 plants — a rotating sample of the rest of the shelf.
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