Culture
Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in part shade. Prefers gritty, well-drained soils. Wet soils in winter can be fatal. Removal of flower spikes after bloom will encourage a secondary bloom. If flower spikes are left in place after flowering, plants may self-seed. However the spent flower spikes can rapidly become quite unsightly as the seed develops and many gardeners choose to remove most spikes and leave only a few for self-seeding.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Digitalis obscura, commonly called willow-leaved foxglove, is native to Spain. It is a woody-based, shrubby perennial foxglove that typically grows to 1-2’ (less frequently to 3’) tall. It features large, tubular, funnel-shaped, pendulous, rusty dark orange to greenish-yellow flowers (to 1.5” long) with interior red veining and spotting. Flowers are borne in terminal racemes atop leafy flower stalks clad with narrow, linear, glabrous, gray-green, willow-like foliage. Individual flowers resemble the snipped-off fingers of a glove. Blooms late spring to early summer. Digitalis leaves are highly toxic.
Genus name comes from the Latin digitus meaning "finger" for the flower shape.
Specific epithet means dark or indistinct.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Powdery mildew and leaf spot, if left untreated, can depreciate foliage considerably by early to mid-summer. Dense woody crowns may rot in soggy, poorly-drained winter soils. Potential insect pests include aphids, mealy bugs, slugs and Japanese beetle.
Uses
Flower spires provide architectural height to the border and cottage garden and are particularly effective in front of dark backgrounds such as provided by shrubs or buildings. Also appropriate for open woodland gardens and naturalized areas.