Foxglove – Digitalis purpurea

Common Name: Foxglove, Digitalis

Botanical Name: Digitalis purpurea, di-ji-TAL-is pur-pur-EE-a or per-PU-re-a

Decorative Life: 10-14 days.

Flower Color: Pink, Purple, Red, White, Yellow

Availability: Summer

Harvest when approximately 50% of the flowers are open.

34-36 F, up to 5 days in water.

• From the Latin “digitus” (finger) referring to the shape of the flowers.
• The specific epithet name “purpurea” means purple, in reference to the common flower color of this species.
• Original source for the heart drug, digitalis. Many species in this 3000 plus species family are grown for ornamental and medicinal purposes including slipperwort, speedwell, mullein, bearded-tongue, foxglove, snapdragon, toadflax, monkey-flower, cape-fuchsia, coral-plant, nemesia, and blue-lips.
• Has become naturalized and weedy in some areas, most growing as a biennial.
• All plant parts are poisonous.