PlantSowGrow
How to grow Foxglove (Excelsior Hybrids)
Digitalis purpurea
Tall spires of speckled bells in early summer, beloved by bumblebees. All parts are poisonous — keep away from children and pets.
At a glance: Sow mid May to mid July.
When to sow, plant and harvest
Timed for a typical UK garden (last frost mid-April). The app uses your own town's frost dates.
Growing Foxglove (Excelsior Hybrids): what it needs
- Light
- Part shade · 4+ hours a day
- Watering
- Keep moist while young; water in dry spells
- Soil
- Moist, well-drained soil
- Spacing
- 45 cm
- Height
- 1.5 m
- In pots
- Grows well in containers
- Feeding
- A little general feed in spring
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 4–9
Step by step
- Mid May – mid July · 4 weeks after the last spring frost
Sow Seeds
Sow thinly in trays or pots of seed compost, outdoors in a shady spot or in a cold frame. Surface-sow; the tiny seed needs light.
- 10–21 days after “Sow Seeds” · Late May – early June
Check Germination
Seedlings appear in 10–21 days. Keep the compost moist.
- 14–28 days after “Check Germination” · Early June – late June
Pot On Seedlings
Move seedlings into their own 9 cm pots and grow them on through the summer.
- Early September – early October · 6 weeks before the first autumn frost
Plant Out for Next Year
Plant into their flowering positions 45 cm apart. They make leaves this year and flower next May–July.
- 250–290 days after “Plant Out for Next Year” · Mid May – late June
Flowering — Enjoy and Deadhead
Your plants should flower around May–July. Remove faded spikes to encourage more, or leave some to self-seed.
- 45–75 days after “Flowering — Enjoy and Deadhead” · Late June – late July
Clear or Let Self-Seed
After flowering, pull out spent plants — or leave a few to drop seed for next year.
