Hosta or Weed?

Hi, sorry newbie gardener and not sure if this is a hosta or whether it is a weed as it seems to be overtaking the garden and I have quite a few of them spread around now. Any help qppreciated.

Foxglove-will be in flower soon.

Was there a prize?

Wow, ok thanks.  I won't dig them all up then!  The prize is the knowledge that you've kept the foxgloves alive!  Thanks again.

Claire, just so as you know, these things self-seed like crazy, so once they've flowered cut most of them down!

If it had been a hosta you would not have had time to take a photo because something would have eaten it whilst you were fetching your camera.

Thanks Excitable Boy that explains why I thought they were weeds as they are EVERYWHERE!  Stupid question but how do I cut down?  Just cut down the flower stem or something more drastic?

I wouldn't pull them all out or you won't get any more in two years' time  - choose the ones whose flowers you like best and leave them to set seed.  When the seed is ripe cut the stem and shake the seeds in the area of garden you'd like them to grow.  As they're perennials, the following year you'll get baby foxglove plants growing - to get good flowers then them out to about 18" apart, replanting the ones you take out in other parts of the garden and watering them well.  The following year you'll get lots more foxglove flowers.

Yes, they look very tired by the time they have finished flowering. Generally I find the whole plant will pull out fairly easily, but then I am in the moist moist south west, lol.

I am sure you are already aware, but remember that all parts of the foxglove are poisonous if eaten. Smaller children love to pull the flowers and put them on their fingers as they look made for this. Discourage this as the poison (digitalis) is concentrated in the nectar and pollen.

Thanks so much for all your help.  This is such a great forum.

Icannot bear to pull out self seeded foxgloves. They pop up in the most hostile places that you have to admire their tenacity. Sometimes it can surprise you how good they look even if it wasn't in the original planting plan.

hi looks like self seeded foxgloves to me. I love them as it's good fun to watch the bee's go in the flowers then fall as the flower falls.

Good weed supressant! Does well in shady part of garden, likes it moist. Enjoy! Good

 luck with your gardening!

sciencegirl wrote (see)

Icannot bear to pull out self seeded foxgloves. They pop up in the most hostile places that you have to admire their tenacity. Sometimes it can surprise you how good they look even if it wasn't in the original planting plan.

Neither can I! I love seeing them grow in walls or silly places. People walk past them all the time without realising what the plant is. I do tend to give seedling the benefit of doubt which means that I can end up with lots of weeds, but it is all part of the garden picture.

blairs wrote (see)

sciencegirl wrote (see)

Icannot bear to pull out self seeded foxgloves. They pop up in the most hostile places that you have to admire their tenacity. Sometimes it can surprise you how good they look even if it wasn't in the original planting plan.

Neither can I! I love seeing them grow in walls or silly places. People walk past them all the time without realising what the plant is. I do tend to give seedling the benefit of doubt which means that I can end up with lots of weeds, but it is all part of the garden picture.

I know the feeling. We have lots of valerian growing in our garden walls and it is such an attractive plant we can't bear to pull it out.