Foxglove Flower

Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea): These familiar biennial plants are members of the Snapdragon Family native to southern Europe and Asia,
but highly prized in North American gardens for their tall spikes of beautiful, bell-like flowers, in pink, blue, or mauve, with dark
spots inside the lip. Foxgloves are the pharmaceutical source of the heart drug digitalis, which is poisonous in overdose. The plants
are also helpful in preserving other species of cut flowers with which they may be arranged in a vase, or in stimulating the growth
and endurance of garden root vegetables, especially potatoes, with which they may be planted. Poison is located in the sap, flowers,
seeds, and leaves of Foxgloves, but the greatest concentration of the toxin occurs in the leaves, even dried ones.

Poison type: Digitoxin, a glycoside which stimulates the heart. A carefully prescribed dose often has miraculous effects on people with
heart conditions, but an overdoes may be fatal. Poisoning can occur accidentally from consumption of the leaves or flowers by livestock,
or children who are attracted by the showy flowers, or the nectar, both of which contain the glycoside poison. The sugar in the
glycoside breaks down during digestion, releasing the active chemical. Adults are occasionally poisoned by the misuse of herbal
preparations- tea from dried Foxglove leaves is traditionally a diuretic- or by overdoses of prescribed digitalis. Another
possible cause of is misidentification. The leaves of Foxgloves are easily mistaken for those of Comfrey, which are traditionally
brewed for tea; both share the same general form and a coasely hairy surface. Additional confusion occurs because, in its first year,
Foxgloves produce only leaves, no flowers. Foxglove leaves, however, have finely toothed edges, whereas Comfrey leaves are smooth.
Digitoxin is dangerous, so Foxgloves must be treated with caution. Symptoms of poisoning are increased heart rate, leading to
heart failure in the case of overdose. Other symptoms include stomach upset, mental confusion, and convulsions.

Information reference: Waltham Forest Fuchsia, Pelargonium and Horticultural Society, London
http://www.communigate.co.uk/london/fuchsia/index.phtml


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