The Foxglove is a biennial member of the Figwort family, having been native to this country since the fifteenth century. Found in the wild in open woods, scrub, woodland clearings, banks and road verges, it is fast disappearing from the English countryside as a wild flower. The plant was named in 1542 by Leonard Fuchs (who, incidentally, lends his name to the Fuchsia), a German herbalist. Up until this time the plant had no official name. Its new name was derived from digitabulum, meaning "thimble" (from the shape of the flowers). It was known as fingerhut in Germany. However, its name may also come from the Anglo-Saxon foxes-glien, a musical instrument of the time which comprised a ring of bells hung from a support.
Foxgloves flower from May to August and then seed prolifically, each plant producing a staggering one to two million seeds, and then it dies. The reason for such a vast number of seeds is to compensate for the large amounts that will be eaten by various creatures. Red Campion is another plant that produces huge quantities of seed for just such the same reason. If you cut off the flower stems before they seed then the plant will last a few more years. It is quite a long-lived plant when in flower, although each flower only lasts for six days.
The Foxglove is an important wildlife plant, being the food source of the Frosted Orange, Heath Fritillary, Lesser Yellow Underwing and Foxglove Pug moths. Being a good moth plant means that it has the potential to attract bats, who are fond of eating moths.
Although all parts of the plant are toxic, it has a use in modern medicine for heart conditions, being the plant from which digitalin is extracted for treating heart disease. Digitalin increases the force of heart contractions and so helps in congestive heart failure. Only flowers that are pale pink or magenta with no other markings can be used from the medicinal Foxglove. The leaves for digitalin extraction are from two year old plants and are harvested when two-thirds of the flowers have opened. A Dr William Withering from Warwickshire discovered digitalin as a heart strengthener in 1785. Digitalin must be administered by someone qualified in its use. Overdose or accumulation of digitalin leads to nausea, vertigo, depression, anxiety, dryness of mouth, confused vision, coma, convulsions, followed by death in many cases. Digoxin is extracted from Grecian Foxgloves. This powder is 300 times more effective than digitalin powder and acts more quickly on heart muscle. Again it needs to be administered by somebody qualified. It is also easy to confuse Foxglove leaves with the poisonous leaves of Comfrey, so another good reason to be treated by someone who knows what they are doing! Although we now know that the Foxglove is poisonous and should be used with caution, in the Middle Ages they had used the plant to treat external ulcers and as an expectorant. Culpeper was confident that "an ointment of it is one of the best remedies for scabby head that is."
As mentioned earlier, there is a wealth of folklore attached to this stately plant. It used to be believed that it the stem leaned over when supernatural beings were present, which could be handy if you needed to ascertain if fairy folk were nearby or perhaps a more malevolent spirit. It is alleged witches used it in ointments rubbed on their thighs to make them fly. Did you know that the fairies gave foxes Foxglove flowers to wear on their paws to enable them to approach chickens silently and take them? Not only did foxes wear them but the flowers were also sometimes known as Folks' Gloves because the fairies wore them as hats and gloves. They also wore petticoats of Foxglove flowers and used them as thimbles when making their clothes. Foxglove juice was believed to ward off the fairies who tried to kidnap children, and you must never harm the plant or the fairy folk will have revenge on you. In Shropshire, Foxglove leaves were placed in children's shoes to prevent Scarlet Fever. Important traditional remedy for dropsy.
On a slightly more feasible note, the belief was held that bad luck would follow if Foxgloves were bought indoors. They were even deemed unlucky on board ships. However, cut flowers do tend to last longer if Foxgloves are also added. The plant was also practical in that its sturdy stalks were made into parasol handles in Kent. In Wales, a black dye was obtained from the leaves and lines painted on stone cottage floors - possibly as an anti-witch "device".
Proponents of companion gardening claim that the Foxglove (like Nasturtium and Borage) improves the strength of nearby plants and encourages pest and disease resistance amongst them. Potatoes, apples and tomatoes will store better if Foxgloves have been grown near them, apparently.
Plant out in shade or partial shade. Ideal for wooded areas.
CAUTION - ALL FOXGLOVES ARE TOXIC IF EATEN
*This sheet is provided for information only and is in no way a prescription for use. Please seek the advice of a qualified herbalist before using*
The Foxglove is a plant steeped in folklore, particularly that relating to fairies and witches. Indeed, the very sight of it and its reputation as a highly poisonous plant creates a feeling that this is a rather magical plant. Also known as Bee Catchers and Pop-ladders. Its large velvety green leaves and its tall spires of bell-shaped flowers coloured in shades of pink to purple make it a very statuesque plant - it grows to a height of about 4 ft (1.2 m). The flowers are dabbed with dark purple spots, which are evidence, some say, of where elves or fairies have placed their fingers. In actual fact, these markings are honey guides, enticing bees to visit. These markings show up vividly in ultra violet light, which is important as bees only see in this light. When they land on a flower they actually crawl right into it (if you can watch a bee doing this it is quite fascinating), visiting the lower flowers first. The lower flowers have usually shed their pollen first and have their stigmas ready to receive the pollen which has come from the previous plants the bee visited - this pollen would be from the ripe anthers of the upper flowers. White Foxgloves in the wild are almost certainly garden escapes. The plant's magical and doom-laden associations are also reflected in some of its other names - Witches' Gloves and Dead Men's Fingers. Food plant of Heath Fritillary butterflies.