From 3.1k real designs

What to plant with Digitalis

These are what gardeners actually planted. We measured every Sow design containing Digitalis and ranked the plants that turn up alongside it far more often than chance would explain.

12 companions3.1k designs analyzedRanked by affinity, not popularity
  1. Lady's Mantle
    1

    Lady's Mantle

    Alchemilla mollis

    Used together in 96 designs — 13.68× more often than this plant appears in gardens generally.

    Why it works: shares Zones 4–8 with Digitalis; wants the same full sun; blooms late spring to Digitalis's late spring to early summer; fills in front of Digitalis.

    Zones 4–8See plant →
  2. Delphinium 'Double Blue'
    2

    Delphinium 'Double Blue'

    Delphinium elatum 'Double Blue'

    Used together in 1.2k designs — 10.66× more often than this plant appears in gardens generally.

    Why it works: shares Zones 4–7 with Digitalis; wants the same full sun; blooms early to mid-summer to Digitalis's late spring to early summer.

    Zones 4–7See plant →
  3. Black Night Hollyhock
    3

    Black Night Hollyhock

    Alcea rosea 'Blacknight'

    Used together in 49 designs — 10.54× more often than this plant appears in gardens generally.

    Why it works: shares Zones 5–8 with Digitalis; wants the same full sun; blooms mid-summer to Digitalis's late spring to early summer.

    Zones 5–8See plant →
  4. Pretty Lady Rose
    4

    Pretty Lady Rose

    Rosa x hybrida 'Pretty Lady Rose'

    Used together in 233 designs — 10.48× more often than this plant appears in gardens generally.

    Why it works: shares Zones 5–8 with Digitalis; wants the same full sun; blooms mid-summer to Digitalis's late spring to early summer.

    Zones 5–8See plant →
  5. Blue Buccaneers Delphinium
    5

    Blue Buccaneers Delphinium

    Delphinium elatum 'Blue Buccaneers'

    Used together in 180 designs — 10.34× more often than this plant appears in gardens generally.

    Why it works: shares Zones 4–7 with Digitalis; wants the same full sun; blooms early summer to Digitalis's late spring to early summer.

    Zones 4–7See plant →
  6. Rise Up Amberness Rose
    6

    Rise Up Amberness Rose

    Rosa x hybrida 'RISE UP AMBERNESS'

    Used together in 128 designs — 9.74× more often than this plant appears in gardens generally.

    Why it works: shares Zones 4–9 with Digitalis; wants the same full sun; blooms mid-summer to Digitalis's late spring to early summer.

    Zones 4–9See plant →
  7. Celestial Night Rose
    7

    Celestial Night Rose

    Rosa x hybrida 'Celestial Night'

    Used together in 59 designs — 8.57× more often than this plant appears in gardens generally.

    Why it works: shares Zones 5–9 with Digitalis; wants the same full sun; blooms mid-summer to Digitalis's late spring to early summer.

    Zones 5–9See plant →
  8. Yuan Clematis
    8

    Yuan Clematis

    Clematis viticella 'Yuan'

    Used together in 342 designs — 8.39× more often than this plant appears in gardens generally.

    Why it works: shares Zones 4–9 with Digitalis; wants the same full sun; blooms mid-summer to early fall to Digitalis's late spring to early summer; adds height behind Digitalis.

    Zones 4–9See plant →
  9. Old Farmyard Hollyhock
    9

    Old Farmyard Hollyhock

    Alcea rosea 'Old Farmyard'

    Used together in 156 designs — 8.2× more often than this plant appears in gardens generally.

    Why it works: shares Zones 4–9 with Digitalis; wants the same full sun; blooms mid-summer to Digitalis's late spring to early summer; adds height behind Digitalis.

    Zones 4–9See plant →
  10. Belladonna Delphinium
    10

    Belladonna Delphinium

    Delphinium x belladonna 'Dark Blue Dark Bee'

    Used together in 65 designs — 8.14× more often than this plant appears in gardens generally.

    Why it works: shares Zones 4–7 with Digitalis; wants the same full sun; blooms early summer to Digitalis's late spring to early summer.

    Zones 4–7See plant →
  11. Corn Poppy
    11

    Corn Poppy

    Papaver rhoeas

    Used together in 55 designs — 8.03× more often than this plant appears in gardens generally.

    Why it works: shares Zones 4–9 with Digitalis; wants the same full sun; blooms late spring to Digitalis's late spring to early summer.

    Zones 4–10See plant →
  12. Happy Go Lucky Rose
    12

    Happy Go Lucky Rose

    Rosa grandiflora 'Happy Go Lucky'

    Used together in 945 designs — 8.03× more often than this plant appears in gardens generally.

    Why it works: shares Zones 5–9 with Digitalis; wants the same full sun; blooms mid-summer to Digitalis's late spring to early summer.

    Zones 5–10See plant →

Method: we counted every Sow design containing Digitalis (3.1k of them), then scored each other plant by how much more often it appears in those designs than in designs generally (lift), requiring at least 40 shared designs. Ranking by lift rather than raw count is what stops the list collapsing into “the most popular plants”.

Digitalis pairing questions

What should I plant with Digitalis?

Across 3.1k real garden designs containing Digitalis, the partner that shows the strongest affinity is Lady's Mantle — it appears alongside Digitalis far more often than its overall popularity would predict. The full ranked list is above.

How was this companion list decided?

From data, not opinion. We looked at every Sow design containing Digitalis and measured which other plants appear with it more often than chance would explain (a lift score), requiring at least 40 shared designs so nothing here is a small-sample fluke. That is why the list reads like a coherent planting palette rather than a list of bestsellers.

Do companion plants need the same conditions as Digitalis?

Yes — that is the first filter. A companion has to share the hardiness range and light exposure, or one of the two will struggle. Each entry above states the zones it shares with Digitalis and whether it wants the same light; pairings that differ in bloom time or height are noted, because that contrast is usually the point.

Keep exploring

Try these pairings in your own yard

Snap a photo of your space and place Digitalis and its companions in it at true mature size — before you buy any of them.