Agalinis purpurea
A hemiparasitic herb in the Orobanchaceae with pink to purple tubular flowers that bloom in late summer to fall, widely distributed across North America in moist habitats, tapping host roots to siphon sugars while photosynthesizing and serving as an important nectar source for pollinators.
Common Names
Purple False Foxglove, Purple Gerardia, Gerardia, Smooth Gerardia, Purple Agalinis
Summary
Agalinis purpurea, commonly called Purple False Foxglove, is a North American annual herb in the Orobanchaceae. It grows 1–3 feet tall with slender, four-angled stems and opposite linear leaves; flowers in loose racemes are pink to purple with a bilabiate corolla up to 20–38 mm long, throat white with purple spots, and bloom from July to September; the plant is hemiparasitic, attaching haustoria to host roots while retaining green tissue, and fruits are capsules 4–6 mm long containing many tiny seeds that wind-dispersed when ripe. It inhabits moist to wet sandy soils in wetlands, meadows, shores, and fields, typically in full sun to light shade, and attracts bees and butterflies while serving as a larval host for the Common Buckeye butterfly. In cultivation, propagation is by seed, sowing in early spring after the last frost; plants prefer full sun to light shade and moist to wet sandy or peaty soils with acidic to neutral pH. Not requiring specialized fertilizer, the plant can self-seed and reseed in suitable habitats, and deadheading can extend bloom; used in native and pollinator-friendly landscapes to provide nectar for bees and butterflies and to support the Common Buckeye butterfly larvae.
Lifecycle
Annual, Perennial
Height
1-4 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 2-7
Sunlight Requirements
Full Sun to Full Shade; all light levels (Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade, Full Shade) are suitable.
Soil Type
Well-drained, moist to wet soil, sandy or peaty, acidic to neutral pH.
Soil Drainage
Moist but well-drained soil.
Soil pH
Acidic to neutral soils; tolerates pH from below 6.0 to 8.0
Bloom Color
Purple
Bloom Time
Summer and Fall
Foliage Color
Dark green to purplish, green, purple
Fall Foliage Color
Purple
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Low to Medium
Seasons of Interest
Summer and Fall
Propagation Methods
Seeds
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (L.) Pennell
- Publication
- Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 40: 424 (1913)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Lamiales
- Family
- Orobanchaceae
- Genus
- Agalinis
Inferior Taxa
Agalinis purpurea var. chiapasana Agalinis purpurea var. parviflora Agalinis purpurea var. purpurea