Beginner
skill rating
Online Garden Tools
Useful videos
Digitalis ferruginea (Rusty foxglove)
1 hour care
per year
per year
1.5m
Max height
Max height
0.5m
Max spread
Max spread
2-5 years
To maturity
To maturity
Low
Toxicity
Toxicity
Plant details
Botanical name
Digitalis ferruginea
Other names
Rusty foxglove, Digitalis stewartii
Genus
Digitalis Digitalis
Species
D. ferruginea - D. ferruginea is vigorous, upright, rosette-forming biennial or perennial with linear, dark-green leaves and tall racemes of bell-shaped, yellow-brown flowers in summer.
Digitalis ferruginea is: Semi evergreen
Habit
Clump-forming, Erect
Toxicity
Highly toxic if eaten.
Awards
RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)
Flower
Yellow, Brown in Summer
Foliage
Dark-green in Summer
How to care
Watch out for
Specific pests
Aphids , Leaf and bud eelworms Aphids , Leaf and bud eelworms
Leaf spot , Powdery mildew Leaf spot , Powdery mildew
General care
Pruning
Cut back main flower spike as it fades to encourage a second flowering.
Propagation methods
Division, Seed
Sign up for your FREE ACCOUNT today or login to receive detailed monthly care instructions
Where to grow
Digitalis ferruginea (Rusty foxglove) will reach a height of 1.5m and a spread of 0.5m after 2-5 years.
Suggested uses
Beds and borders, Bees (attract & feed bees), Cottage/Informal, Wildflower, Wildlife
Cultivation
Plant in almost any soil or situation except very wet or very dry. An ideal site is a humus-rich soil in partial shade.
Soil type
Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types)
Soil drainage
Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Light
Partial Shade, Full Shade, Full Sun
Aspect
North, South, East, West
Exposure
Exposed, Sheltered
UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.
Hardy (H4)
Companion plants
Botanical name
Digitalis ferruginea
Other names
Rusty foxglove, Digitalis stewartii
Genus
Digitalis Digitalis
Species
D. ferruginea - D. ferruginea is vigorous, upright, rosette-forming biennial or perennial with linear, dark-green leaves and tall racemes of bell-shaped, yellow-brown flowers in summer.
Foliage
Semi evergreen
Habit
Clump-forming, Erect
Toxicity
Highly toxic if eaten.
Awards
RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)
Create your free Shoot garden
Create your free SHOOT garden and make a record of the plants in your garden.
Add your own photos, notes, get monthly email reminders on how to care for your plants, and connect with other gardeners. Get started now.
Colour
Flower
Yellow, Brown in Summer
Foliage
Dark-green in Summer
How to care
Watch out for
Specific pests
Aphids , Leaf and bud eelworms
Specific diseases
General care
Pruning
Cut back main flower spike as it fades to encourage a second flowering.
Propagation methods
Division, Seed
Monthly care advice
Get access to monthly care advice
Create a free SHOOT account and get instant access to expert care advice for this and other plants in your garden.
You'll also receive handy monthly email reminders of what needs doing. Create your free account.
Where to grow
Digitalis ferruginea (Rusty foxglove) will reach a height of 1.5m and a spread of 0.5m after 2-5 years.
Suggested uses
Beds and borders, Bees (attract & feed bees), Cottage/Informal, Wildflower, Wildlife
Cultivation
Plant in almost any soil or situation except very wet or very dry. An ideal site is a humus-rich soil in partial shade.
Soil type
Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types)
Soil drainage
Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Light
Partial Shade, Full Shade, Full Sun
Aspect
North, South, East, West
Exposure
Exposed, Sheltered
UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.
Hardy (H4)
USDA zones
Zone 9, Zone 8, Zone 7, Zone 6, Zone 5, Zone 4
In order to add a note on this plant, please add this plant to your plant lists.
| This plant likes... | Garden match | |
| Soil types: | Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types) | Tell us... |
| Soil drainage: | Moist but well-drained, Well-drained | Tell us... |
| Soil pH: | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral | Tell us... |
| Light: | Partial Shade, Full Shade, Full Sun | Tell us... |
| Aspect: | North, South, East, West | Tell us... |
| Exposure: | Exposed, Sheltered | Tell us... |
| Hardiness: | Hardy (H4) | Tell us... |
COMPANION PLANTS
GARDENS WITH THIS PLANT
ARTICLES WITH THIS PLANT
Three-time RHS gold medal winning designer, Matthew Childs, will be hoping for his fourth award with his Smart Meter Garden at this year’s RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival. read more
By acclaimed garden designer Joe Francis. The inspiration for the garden came from Joe’s personal experience of depression and suicidal thoughts. Joe has teamed up with Maytree, a National… read more
Innovative young designer Tom Simpson will be working with Cancer Research UK to create a stunning garden at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, shining a light on the progress made by the… read more
Esteemed garden designer, Helen Elks-Smith, is creating a Show Garden on Main Avenue for the first time for Warner’s Distillery. read more
By garden designers Anna Benn and Hannah Gardner. A Russian-themed garden based on the country estate near Moscow where Anton Chekhov, one of Russia’s greatest writers, wrote his famous play … read more
To add ? to your lists,
login to your account or subscribe.
Find out more about plant lists here
or Login
To add notes for this plant login to your account or register for a new account.
Sign up for freeor Login
To add images for this plant login to your account or register for a new account.
Sign up for freeor Login
To check if this plant is suitable for your garden first login to your account or subscribe.
or Login