Digitalis valinii Firecracker - Foxglove

Digiplexis 'Firecracker' is a very beautiful hybrid foxglove, which is much more floriferous, vigorous and perennial than most foxgloves. It is a spectacular and generous plant that produces  floral spikes all summer long, loaded with large flowers vividly coloured in yellow-orange with a touch of pink. However, this flower is less cold-resistant than the foxglove. To succeed in its cultivation, give it sun and a damp, fertile, acid to neutral, well-drained soil. Superb in the garden or in a large pot on the patio.

Digiplexis 'Firecracker' is a plant from the Plantaginaceae family, resulting from crossing Isoplexis canariensis and Digitalis purpurea. This plant belongs to a lineage whose flagship is the fabulous hybrid named 'Illumination', born in 2006 in England, from the seed merchant Thompson and Morgan. It is a very fast-growing perennial plant that can also be grown as an annual. It develops a main rosette with a diameter of 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16in), with lanceolate leaves resembling those of foxgloves. Thick and slightly hairy, they are dark green, shiny, and evergreen in winter. Other rosettes develop on the periphery of the plant. Leaves of smaller size also adorn the floral spike, whose stem is partially purple. The flowering extends from May-June to October-November, without interruption. Hollow but sturdy floral stems emerge from the rosette to carry a wide and dense floral spike, composed of a multitude of horizontally open flowers with four petals (two large petals in a horizontal plane and two small lateral petals) fused only at the base. Each orange to salmon flower reveals a yellow throat washed with orange and lightly speckled with a burgundy shade. The flowers are melliferous and nectariferous. This sterile variety does not exhaust itself in producing fruits, which allows it to bloom tirelessly.

Showing perfect performance in mild and rather cool climates, this Digiplexis Firecracker is beautiful for the garden or patio. In the north, it should be planted in a very sunny location, while in the south, it prefers partial shade to preserve its colours. To not miss out on the show, it can be installed near the house or in the line of sight of a window. It can be planted in groups or in large borders or at the base of hedges, where it will bloom abundantly from spring to autumn. It pairs well with the blue bells of campanulas or the strange Clematis 'New Love', the flowers of columbines, centaureas, or the small mauve or white stars of asters in autumn. This star plant with a very exotic charm will allow you to enjoy its flowering for a long time in a large pot near the house, to be stored away in winter in cold climates.