Foxgloves are at their best

The foxgloves are in flower now in the garden. The flowers open first at the bottom of the tall spikes, soon it will be the higher flowers that are open and the lower ones will already be losing their petals and starting to develop seeds.

Foxglove flowers

The flowers are so amazing when you look at them in detail. There are tiny hairs and a spotted pattern inside the flower tube. Click on the image to see these details.

To pollinate the flowers a bee lands on the lower lip of the tube and crawls part way inside to gather nectar.

The plant is also known for the active agents it contains, digoxin, digitoxin and other related substances. Although poisonous (don't eat any part of a foxglove plant!), digoxin is medically useful for some forms of heart arrhythmia.

Foxglove is native to the UK and grows wild in most parts of the country. Often it can be seen in great drifts, in damp, shady places and in the margins of woodland.

You'll find foxgloves in many British gardens, particularly traditional cottage gardens where it was always a firm favourite. It's biennial, sow seeds this autumn for flowers the summer after next. They will happily self seed once established.

(If you liked this you might also like Journeys of heart and mind and Quote me on this.)