Common Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)

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  1.   1.  Description
  2.   2.  Obtainment
  3.   3.  Cautions
  4.   4.  More
  5.   5.  'Souls
Common Name Common Foxglove
Latin Name Digitalis purpurea
Icon(s) Leaves (general icon) Flower (general icon)
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"Foxgloves 2"
by Les Chatfield (flickr.com)
Creative commons: Some rights reserved

1.  Description

Digitalis purpurea is an herbaceous biennial or short-lived perennial plant. The foliage forms a tight rosette at ground level in the first year. The flowering stem develops in the second year, typically 1 to 2 m tall, sometimes longer. The flowers are arranged in a showy, terminal, elongated cluster, and each flower is tubular and pendent. The flowers are typically purple, but some plants, especially those under cultivation, may be pink, rose, yellow, or white.

2.  Obtainment

Common. Digitalis purpurea was grown throughout the world as an ornamental plant in gardens by humanity. It is naturalized in Nova Scotia.

  • Packs: Salsola[1] grows Common Foxglove in its pack garden (see reference)

3.  Cautions

  • Poison: The leaves, flowers and seeds of this plant are all poisonous and can be fatal if eaten. Symptoms of Digitalis poisoning include a low pulse rate, nausea, vomiting, and uncoordinated contractions of different parts of the heart, leading to cardiac arrest and finally death.

4.  More

5.  'Souls

  • Skana Creo forced-fed and overdosed an assailant on foxglove to see its poisonous properties and for revenge purposes.


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