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Shrubs

Digitalis chalcantha

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

Synonyms

Isoplexis chalcantha

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Ultimate height

1–1.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Plantaginaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Potentially harmful: TOXIC 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
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
Name status: Correct
Plant range: Canary Islands (Gran Canaria)

How to grow

Cultivation

In 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

Propagation

Propagate 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

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Sub-tropical
Conservatory and greenhouse
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Pruning group 9

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids and leaf and bud eelworms, and to glasshouse red spider mite and glasshouse whitefly when grown under glass

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews, downy mildews and leaf spot

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