Digitalis, or digitalis

Description. Its name is due to the drooping flowers of a rounded form resembling a thimble. In floriculture, is often grown as a two-year-old foxglove with very decorative pyramidal spicate unilateral inflorescences consisting of a number of flowers of bell-shaped tubular form 3-4 cm long with white, pink, purple andCream color with dark purple spots on the inside of the corolla. The leaves of the foxglove develop in the first year in the form of a rosette outlet, the leaves are large light green, oblong-oval, covered with hairs. The surface of the leaf is wrinkled. Blooms from July to September. When cutting off the faded inflorescence, a new floral arrows form. In varietal fagots, the length of the spicate inflorescence reaches 40-50 cm, and the height of the sturdy peduncle is up to 150 cm. They are used for planting in the rarefied shade of trees, against tall bushes, in the background of prefabricated flower gardens, in single and group plantings,walls of buildings. It is well worth cutting down to 10 days.

There are two varieties of digitalis purple:

gloxini blossomed with bell-shaped flowers reminiscent of gloxinia flowers;

spotted with beautiful spots on the flower halo in the form of dots or blurry spots.

Cultivation and care. Digitalis is a cold-resistant, drought-resistant and photophilous, but shade tolerant plant. To the soil is undemanding, prefers moderately moist, warmed up areas with loamy loose neutral soil, rich in nutrients.

For prolonged and abundant flowering, it is necessary to prepare well the soil to a depth of 25-30 cm, add humus, and lime on acid soils. Propagate the digitalis seeds. Sown in May in cold greenhouses. The seeds are very small, so they do not close up deeply, but are lightly covered with sand. Shoots water carefully, shade from the sun. Dive to a special ridge, and in August they transplant to a permanent place. The distance when planting 30 x 40 cm. For winter, plantations are covered with leaves or branches. In the year of sowing, a rosette of broad, light green, coarse leaves forms. In the second year, erect sturdy stems with a height of 1.2-1.5 m. Each stalk of

in the upper part bears a spicate inflorescence. The plant fades and dies. Flowering occurs in July.

Diseases and pests. Is affected by real and false powdery mildew, white and gray rot, leaf spot, viral and nematode diseases, is damaged by several species of aphids and moths.