About
A half-hardy evergreen shrub to 1.2m high, with upright stems and long, narrow, slightly serrated dark green leaves. Long spikes of rusty reddish-orange flowers, with long hoods and dark stamens tipped with white anthers, are produced from the tips of the stems in summer.
About the genus
Digitalis can be biennials or usually short-lived perennials forming a rosette of simple leaves with bell-shaped flowers in slender, erect, usually one-sided racemes
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeChalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureWell-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH3
Plant details
Plant typeShrubs
HabitBushy
FoliageEvergreen
Height1-1.5 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants, Sub-tropical
Native toCanary Islands (Gran Canaria)
ToxicityTOXIC if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling TOXIC to pets - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Care notes
CultivationIn frost-free climates, may be grown outdoors in well-drained soil, in a sheltered spot in sun or part shade. Elsewhere, grow under glass in peat-free, loam-based potting compost, in full or bright filtered light with low to moderate humidity. Water moderately during growth and sparingly in winter. See foxglove cultivation for further advice
PruningPruning group 9
PropagationPropagate by seed, sown in pots at 18-24°C in spring, or by softwood cuttings in spring or semi-ripe cuttings with bottom heat in summer
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids and leaf and bud eelworms, and to glasshouse red spider mite and glasshouse whitefly when grown under glass
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to powdery mildews, downy mildews and leaf spot