A native of the mountains of northern Spain, this short-lived herbaceous perennial is a member of the plantian family, Plantaginaceae, that also includes snapdragon, turtlehead, and Veronica. A basal rosette of gray green, lanceolate , downy leaves gives rise to a raceme of densely packed flowers in late spring to mid-summer. Each reddish brown flower is darkly veined, tubular, and 1/2″ long. Plants grow 2-3′ tall and are useful in borders, as well as in cottage and informal gardens. The genus name, Digitalis, comes from the Latin word digitus meaning finger and refers to the appearance of the flowers. The specific epithet, parviflora, comes from the Latin words parvus meaning small, and flos meaning flower.
Type: Short-lived herbaceous perennial
Bloom: Densely packed raceme of reddish brown darkly veined tubular, 1/2″ long flowers in late spring to mid-summer
Size: 2-3′ H x 1′ W
Light:Part shade
Soil:Average, medium moist, well-drained
Hardiness: Zones 4-8
Care: Remove flowering stems after blooming to encourage rebloom
Pests and Diseases: Aphids, eelworms, powdery mildew, leaf spot
Propagation: Seed, division in early spring
Companion Plants: Hosta, ferns, epimedium
Photo Credit: H Zell, Wikimedia Commons