Foxglove 'Excelsior Mix'

Excelsior Foxglove Mix (Digitalis purpurea) is a classic cottage garden favourite, known for its stately spires of downward-facing, bell-shaped blooms. This vintage mix features a beautiful range of colours—rose, cream, lavender, primrose yellow, and apricot—each bloom marked with distinctive speckled throats. Flowers appear on strong stems reaching 2–3 feet tall and bloom from late spring to early summer, making them a beautiful choice for both the flower bed and the vase.

A biennial, Excelsior forms a rosette of foliage in its first year and sends up flowering spikes in its second. Plants are excellent for creating vertical interest and work especially well in borders, pollinator gardens, or naturalized woodland edges.

This mix has an old-world charm and is often seen in traditional English gardens. The tall spires are a favourite of bumblebees and other long-tongued pollinators. While germination can be a bit fussy, surface sowing and maintaining even moisture under bright light usually yields good results. Best grown as a transplant for strong establishment. Prefers full sun to part shade and well-drained soil.

Also known as Common Foxglove, Digitalis, or Fairy Thimbles.
Caution: All parts of the plant are toxic if ingested—keep away from pets and small children.
Biennial. Hardy in Zones 4–9.

Details:
 
QTY: 75

TYPE: Annual/Biennual

SITE: Sun - Part Shade

DEPTH: Surface

GERMINATION: 14-21 days at 18-21°C

HEIGHT: 30 - 40"

SPACING: 9 - 12"

PINCH: No

How To Grow:

Indoors (recommended):
Sow 10–12 weeks before last frost. Do not cover seeds—light is required for germination. Mist or bottom water gently. Keep moist until germination. Harden off and transplant outdoors after last frost. 

Direct seed:
Sow as soon as soil can be worked in early spring, only in areas with long growing seasons. Keep soil evenly moist until established. Blooms appear in the second year. Germination can be tricky.