About
A tender evergreen shrub, up to 1.8m high, with toothed, ovate to ovate-oblong leaves and racemes up to 13cm long of yellow flowers, netted inside with tawny-brown, 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 typeLoam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH2
Plant details
Plant typeConservatory Greenhouse, Shrubs
HabitBushy
FoliageEvergreen
Height1.5-2.5 metres
Spread1.5-2.5 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesCoastal, City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden, Patio and container plants, Mediterranean climate plants
Native toMadeira
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 areas, grow in a sheltered position in a sunny to partially shaded site in well-drained soil; in frost-prone areas, grow in a cool greenhouse with minimum night temperatures of 5-10°C, in medium-fertility, peat-free, loam-based compost, with added sand and leafmould, water plentifully in summer but moderately in winter, and keep plants well ventilated. See foxglove cultivation for further advice
PruningNo pruning required except deadheading to encourage further flowering
PropagationPropagate by seed, sown at 18-24°C in a sandy seed mixture in spring; by softwood cuttings in spring; or by semi-ripe cuttings in summer with bottom heat
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to caterpillars, glasshouse red spider mite and glasshouse whitefly but generally pest-free
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to fungal leaf spots, powdery mildews, downy mildews, crown rots and root rots