A new plant for this year that I’ve been drooling over since 2012, and finally have it growing in my garden is Digitalis Illumination Flame (trademark name). I believe it is called xDigiplexis, as it is an intergeneric cross between Digitalis and Isoplexis.
The good news for us in the Pacific Northwest is that because it is an intergeneric cross, there are no viable seeds—it’s a mule. We refrain from growing foxgloves like Digitalis purpurea because it seeds everywhere, this is an exuberant substitution that outshines many foxglove hybrids. In addition, it will bloom from spring until fall.
It is supposed to be hardy here, but I believe the jury is still out on how it will hold up in our temperate Mediterranean climate. I hope the hardiness of D. purpurea overshadows the not so hardy Isoplexis in its blood lines. I bought three of them. One is in the garden (planted in spring) and two are still in pots and are in the greenhouse. If it proves to not be hardy enough I will grow these in containers and overwinter them inside.
What do you think about this plant?
