Digitale Excelsior Mixed Seeds Packet

Digitale Excelsior Mixed - Reference: 5260342 - This premium variety from Vilmorin represents excellence in floral seeds. Renowned for its exceptional ornamental qualities, the Excelsior foxglove transforms every garden into a true floral spectacle. This mixed selection offers a harmonious colour palette, ranging from pure white to shades of pink, mauve and purple, creating naturally stunning compositions.

Benefits and Use Cases

The Excelsior foxglove is the preferred choice for gardeners wishing to create tall flower borders with remarkable visual impact. Its slender stems reach an impressive height, forming clusters of bell-shaped flowers that sway gracefully in the breeze. This bee-friendly plant naturally attracts bees, bumblebees and butterflies, actively contributing to garden biodiversity.

Perfectly suited to cottage gardens, mixed borders and natural compositions, it integrates harmoniously into ecological gardens. Professional landscapers frequently use it to create colourful backdrops in tiered borders. Its popular name of "Shepherd's Glove" or "Thimble Plant" comes from its characteristic shape that allows a finger to be inserted into the corolla, just like a glove.

Technical Specifications and Innovation

This Vilmorin selection presents remarkable botanical characteristics. The Excelsior foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) develops robust stems that can reach 120 to 150 cm in height, supported by a deep root system that ensures excellent stability. The basal leaves form a dense rosette, while the cauline leaves progressively decrease in size towards the top.

The tubular flowers measure between 4 and 6 cm in length, featuring a flared corolla with finely toothed edges. The interior of the corolla displays characteristic purple spots that guide pollinating insects. This biennial variety forms a rosette of leaves in the first year, then blooms abundantly in the second year from May to August. The germination period spans 15 to 20 days at an optimal temperature of 18-20°C.

Planting and Use

Sowing Excelsior foxglove is ideally carried out from May to July for flowering the following year. Prepare a well-drained soil, rich in humus, with a slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0 to 7.0). Sow the seeds in a seedbed or directly in place, spreading them over a finely crumbled substrate. The very fine seeds should only be covered with a thin layer of sifted compost.

Keep the substrate constantly moist during germination by regularly misting with a sprayer. Once the seedlings have developed, prick them out into pots before final planting in autumn. Space the plants 30 to 40 cm apart to allow optimal development. In harsh climates, protect young rosettes with a winter fleece. Maintenance is limited to regular watering during dry periods and staking the stems in windy areas.

Expert Tips, Pairings and Advice

To maximise the decorative effect, pair Excelsior foxglove with evergreen perennials such as hostas or heucheras, which will enhance its spectacular blooms. Old roses, delphiniums and lupins create remarkable chromatic alliances. In the background, plant flowering shrubs such as mock oranges or weigelas.

Expert tip: the foxglove self-seeds naturally if you allow a few spikes to set seed. Cut the first faded flower spikes to stimulate the appearance of new secondary stems and extend the flowering period. For freshly cut bouquets, immediately plunge the stems into hot then cold water to optimise their vase life. Warning: all parts of the plant are toxic if ingested - avoid planting near children's play areas.

Complete your order with our organic flower fertilisers, our bamboo stakes for stem support, and our seed compost to optimise the germination and growth of your foxgloves.

Technical Specifications