Digitalis parviflora Jacq.
small-flowered foxglove
A slender perennial to 60cm tall, with downy, lance-shaped leaves in a basal rosette, and tubular, brownish-red flowers 2cm long, with darker veining, in early summer
Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Brown Red | Green | ||
| Autumn | Green | |||
| Winter |
Position
- Full shade
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or North–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical details
- Family
- Plantaginaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- 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
- N. Spain
How to grow
Cultivation
Will grow in almost any soil or situation except very wet or very dry; ideal site is a humus-rich soil in partial shade. A perennial but often treated as a biennial. See foxglove cultivation for further advice
Propagation
Propagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame in late spring or propagate by division in early spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Coastal
- Cottage and informal garden
- Wildlife gardens
- Underplanting of roses and shrubs
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
Cut back main flower spike as it fades to encourage the growth of flowering side shoots
Pests
May be susceptible to aphids and leaf and bud eelworm
Diseases
May be susceptible to powdery mildews, downy mildews and leaf spot
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.