Digitalis purpurea Seeds | Purple Foxglove
LATIN NAME: Digitalis purpurea
COMMON NAME: Purple Foxglove
Plant Profile
Purple Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is a tall biennial or short-lived perennial of the plantain family (Plantaginaceae), native to the woodlands and hedgerows of western Europe. In its second year it raises dramatic spires 1-1.5 m high, hung with pendulous, spotted, purple-pink bells in early summer. It is the original source of the cardiac glycoside digoxin, and all parts of the plant are highly poisonous if eaten.
Science & Biotechnology
Like other members of the Digitalis group, Digitalis purpurea draws steady attention from botanists and plant breeders, who value the genus both as a subject of research and as a source of garden-worthy material. Digitalis is historically important to plant biochemistry because its leaves contain cardiac glycosides, including compounds related to development of modern cardiac pharmacology. Raising it from seed today is a matter of ordinary good practice rather than specialist skill.
Uses & Benefits
Purple Foxglove works well in borders, containers and dedicated beds. Foxglove is primarily cultivated as an ornamental and ecological plant because of its tall flower spikes and value to pollinating insects. It should be treated as a poisonous plant: all parts contain biologically active compounds and should not be consumed or used medicinally outside professional pharmaceutical contexts. Once it has its roots down, it more or less looks after itself.
Foxglove is the textbook case of plant-as-medicine: its cardiac glycosides gave us digoxin, still essential in heart-failure care. The plant itself is lethally toxic and every part must be kept from children and animals.
Growing from Seed
Sow fresh seed of Purple Foxglove under ordinary good conditions. Sow small seed on surface of a fine, moist medium and provide light for early establishment. Keep surface evenly moist and transplant young plants carefully once they are well rooted. Sow the seeds evenly over the surface and cover lightly in a loose, well-drained seed compost, keep the sowing evenly moist, and give the pot or tray bright light. When the young plants are big enough to handle, space them into pots or a nursery row and let them size up before their final move.
Our Take
It is a solid representative of the Digitalis group, true to type from seed. In a sunny, freely drained position it needs little looking after.
Related Reading
Gardeners who grow Purple Foxglove often pair it with these related subjects: