Tall spires of large, well-spaced, tubular flowers in soft shades of purple, pink, creamy-yellow or white, each one with throats spotted maroon or purple, appear from May to July.
These pastel-coloured foxgloves are perfect for the back of a large cottage-style border. Although short-lived, given the right conditions Digitalis purpurea Excelsior Group will perpetuate by self-seeding.
How to care for Digitalis purpurea Excelsior Group:
Plant into a lightly shaded, well-prepared border or woodland margin with plenty of organic matter (well-rotted compost).
Ensure that the soil is kept moist in summer. After the first flowerspikes have finished flowering, cut them back to encourage sideshoots to develop, which can go on to provide a second flush of flower. Then, when the last of these have died off, cut them all down to the ground. Apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted organic matter around the plant in early spring.
These plants are mainly biennial, although they will often self-seed freely.