About
A vigorous biennial or short-lived perennial, with a basal rosette of glossy green leaves. Leafy flowering stems to 1.5m high are produced in late spring and early summer in its second year, bearing large, broadly tubular, rust-coloured flowers with dark red-brown veining on the insides, in dense clusters all around the stems.
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, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectEast-facing, South-facing, West-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH7
Plant details
Plant typeHerbaceous Perennial, Annual Biennial
HabitBushy, Columnar upright
FoliageSemi evergreen
Height1-1.5 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height1-2 years
Suggested usesCoastal, Cottage and informal garden, Wildflower meadow, Wildlife gardens
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
CultivationWill grow in almost any soil or situation except very wet or very dry; ideally a sheltered, warm site with humus-rich soil in light or partial shade. See foxglove cultivation for more detailed advice
PruningDeadhead to encourage more flowers (unless seeds are required)
PropagationPropagate by seed, sown in pots in a cold frame in late spring, or by division in early spring. Plants grown from seed may vary
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids, leaf and bud eelworms, slugs and snails
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to powdery mildews, downy mildews and leaf spot