About
A tough clump-forming, perennial or biennial to 90cm high, with lance-shaped glossy, dark green leaves, slightly hairy beneath and bearing racemes of large, velvety, tubular strawberry-pink flowers, spotted inside with crimson-purple.
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
AspectNorth-facing, West-facing, East-facing, South-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH5
Plant details
Plant typeHerbaceous Perennial
HabitClump forming
FoliageSemi evergreen
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, 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
CultivationGrow in moist but well-drained humus-rich soil in light dappled shade, for example in a mixed bed or an open woodland garden, or in full sun, and add organic mulch. See foxglove cultivation for further advice
PruningNo pruning required, but deadheading may encourage growth in following years
PropagationPropagate by seed, or by division, removing offsets, in spring; it will also self-seed but may not come true unless plants have been grown in isolation
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids and leaf and bud eelworm
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to powdery mildews, downy mildews and leaf spot