Digitalis purpurea 'Serendipity'
foxglove 'Serendipity'
A biennial or short-lived perennial 1.2m high with overwintering rosettes of green leaves, and, from its first year, spikes of sterile pale pink flowers, spotted inside with maroon outlined in white, the curled petals not fused as in most foxgloves, but separate almost to the base, from early summer to midsummer
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Size
Ultimate height
1–1.5 metresTime to ultimate height
1–2 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Red Pink White | Green | ||
| Autumn | Green | |||
| Winter | Green |
Position
- Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or North–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered Hardiness
H7Botanical details
- Family
- Plantaginaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Semi evergreen
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- 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
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in moist but well-drained humus-rich soil in light dappled shade, for example in a mixed bed or an open woodland garden, and add organic mulch; native foxgloves are usually found in the wild on acidic soils, but they can also grow on neutral soils and tolerate slightly alkaline soils.
Propagation
Propagate by seed, sown in spring; it is sterile so will not self-seed
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Coastal
- Wildlife gardens
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
May be susceptible to aphids and leaf and bud eelworm
Diseases
May be susceptible to powdery mildews, downy mildews and leaf spot
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