Agalinis purpurea (purple false foxglove)

1 / 4

Agalinis spp.

false foxgloves

Orobanchaceae

Americas; most diverse in eastern North America

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies

Native to North America

SunFull Sun

WaterMedium

Overview

Agalinis spp. is a genus of about 70 species of slender, mostly annual herbs in the broomrape family, Orobanchaceae, known as false foxgloves or gerardias, native to the Americas and most diverse in eastern North America. Plants are wiry and openly branched, 4 to 40 inches (10 to 100 cm) tall, with narrow, opposite leaves that are sometimes reduced to thread-like segments. Most species are hemiparasites: their roots attach to the roots of grasses and other plants to draw water and minerals while still making their own food through green leaves. From late summer into autumn the stems carry loose clusters of tubular, bell-shaped flowers about 0.5 to 1.5 inches (1.5 to 4 cm) long, usually pink to rose-purple, often with darker spots and two yellow lines in the throat. The petals flare into five rounded lobes and drop quickly, frequently by the end of the day. Agalinis spp. grows in prairies, open pine woods, fens, and moist sandy ground, often in nutrient-poor or seasonally wet sites. Several species are uncommon, and A. acuta is protected as a threatened species in parts of the United States. Because the genus depends on host plants, it is hard to grow in cultivation and is encountered mainly in wild plant communities.

Native Range

Agalinis spp. is native to North, Central, and South America, with the greatest number of species in the eastern United States. Plants grow in prairies, open woodland, fens, and moist sandy or rocky ground. The genus is most often found in fire-managed grasslands and pine savannas.

Suggested Uses

Agalinis spp. is grown mainly in prairie and pine-savanna restorations and native plant conservation rather than ornamental beds. The autumn flowers support late-season bees and other pollinators. A few species are included in specialist native wildflower seed mixes.

How to Identify

Recognize Agalinis spp. by its slender, wiry, much-branched stems with narrow, opposite leaves, sometimes so reduced that the plant looks nearly leafless. The pink to rose-purple flowers are tubular and bell-shaped with five flaring lobes, often marked with darker spots and two yellow lines inside the throat. Flowers open in late summer and autumn and usually drop within a day. The rounded capsules that follow split to release many small seeds.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height4" - 3'4"

Width/Spread4" - 1'6"

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Summer Fall

Agalinis spp. flowers from late summer into autumn, roughly August to October, opening a few tubular pink flowers at a time along the upper stems. Each flower lasts about a day before the petals fall. Bloom continues for several weeks as new buds open in succession.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

pink to rose-purple

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range4.5 - 6.5(Acidic)

357912

Soil Types

sand peat loam

Drainagemoist

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Agalinis spp. species grow in full sun on moist to seasonally wet, nutrient-poor sandy or peaty soils. Most are hemiparasites that need living host roots, usually grasses, to grow strongly, which makes them hard to establish in ordinary garden soil. Seed germinates in place and the seedlings attach to nearby hosts early in the season. The annual species complete their life cycle in one year and depend on regular seed set to persist. Many grow in fire-maintained habitats and decline as grasslands close in or are developed. The genus is rarely cultivated and is usually conserved in its natural setting rather than planted.

Pruning

Pruning is not used with Agalinis spp., as the plants are slender annuals that set seed and die within a season. Stems are left standing so seed can ripen and scatter for the following year. No cutting back or shaping is involved.