Plant in full sun to light shade and give occasional to regular irrigation. Because of the Canary Island parent this plant likely will be a bit more tender than typical foxgloves but in early testing plants re-sprouted from the ground and so it is being recommended to USDA Zone 8. Another consequence of having the Canary Island parent is that it may remain evergreen and shrubbier in mild climate gardens - time will tell. It has been noted to be attractive to bees, but plants have remained sterile.

Digitalis 'Illumination Flame' is the result of hybridization work conducted in 2006 by Charles Valin, plant breeder at Thompson & Morgan. The dark foliage seems more strongly to resemble Digitalis purpurea but the flowers seem a good mix of both parents with a mix of the purple pink colors of Digitalis purpurea and the orange flowers and distinctive large upper petal lip of the Canary Island Foxglove, Digitalis canariensis. Sometimes referred to a Foxglove with lipstick, this plant represents for some an intergeneric hybrid between the European Purple Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) and the Canary Island Foxglove, considered by some to in a separate genus, Isoplexis (Isoplexis canariensis) so it is sometimes marketed using the hybrid name x Digiplexis. The most recent DNA work conducted on this group in 2004 (Brauchler, C., H. Meimberg and G. Heubl "Molecular phylogeny of the genera Digitalis L. and Isoplexis (Lindley) Loudon (Veronicaceae) based on ITS- and trnL-F sequences") however puts Isoplexis within the genus Digitalis. Also confusing is a reorganization of the traditional family relationships as is was originally put into the Figwort family, the Scrophulariaceae, but now has been placed with many other familiar plant into the enlarged Plantain family, the Plantaginaceae. The debate continues on this, and these may someday all be in the Antirrhinaceae or Veronicaceae. Both the common and botanical name for the genus hails from the shape the flowers. Digitalis is from the Latin word 'digit' meaning "finger" with the suffix 'alis' "pertaining to" or "like" in reference to the finger-like tubular flowers. The original common name was reportedly "Folksglove" meaning resembling the finger of a glove.

This plant received the Best New Plant Award at the Royal Horticulture Chelsea Flower Show in 2012, the Greenhouse Grower's 2013 Award of Excellence, the People's Choice Award at the New Varieties Showcase at the 2013 Farwest Trade Show in Portland, Oregon and it the Grand Prize Winner of the 2014 American Garden Award. It is sure to be a hit in American gardens as a container specimen or along the border. Image on this page from Thompson and Morgan. We firs started growing this plant in 2013 and though it sold well, but we were not seeing long term garden viability and this convinced us to discontinue selling this plant in 2015. 

This information about Digitalis 'Illumination Flame' [Digiplexis] displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.