Digitalis 'Candy Mountain'

Digitalis 'Candy Mountain': Foxglove Bells That Finally Look Up

Most foxgloves stare politely at the ground. 'Candy Mountain' turns its speckled rose-pink bells straight up, like it's waiting for applause. TALL, SWEET AND ZERO HUMILITY.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Digitalis purpurea 'Candy Mountain'
• Common Name: Common Foxglove
• Height: 90–120 cm (3–4 ft)
• Spread: 30–60 cm (1–2 ft)
• Flowers: Rose-pink bells with darker speckled throats, facing upward on tall spikes
• Bloom Time: Early summer (June to July)
• Foliage: Deep green, lance-shaped leaves in a low rosette
• Features: Good cut flower, biennial that may self-sow

Where to Plant: Use it at the back of a border, along a fence, or at the edge of a woodland where its height can show off. A cluster of three or five looks better than a single spike, and the stems make dramatic cut flowers.

Companion Plants: Plant 'Candy Mountain' in a moist bed in sun or part shade with yellow columbines and late blue monkshood. Heuchera FYRE WING™ 'Hematite' edges the front at 15 cm with dark foliage. Aquilegia Earlybird™ Yellow adds creamy yellow columbines at 23 to 28 cm from May to July. Aconitum fischeri brings deep blue hoods at 45 to 60 cm in August and September, long after the foxgloves. Molinia 'Variegata' arches at 60 to 80 cm in flower with cream-striped blades.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun to part sun in rich, moist, well-drained soil. Afternoon shade is welcome in hot spots. Avoid soggy clay, which can rot the crown over winter. Water regularly during dry spells. Tall spikes may need a stake in windy spots. 'Candy Mountain' is a biennial: it grows leaves one year, flowers, sets seed, then dies. Leave a few spikes to drop seed if you'd like it to keep coming back, and move small seedlings in their first season. All parts are toxic if eaten. Wear gloves when handling and keep it away from pets that chew plants.

History: Common foxglove is native to western and southern Europe, has been grown in gardens for centuries, and is the source of the heart drug digitalis. 'Candy Mountain' was introduced through Walters Gardens and is described as the first foxglove with upward-facing flowers.

Final Thoughts: Let it self-sow and next year it brings friends. THE MOUNTAIN GETS BIGGER EVERY TIME.