Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Coastal BC Plants: Foxglove

Foxglove

When spring arrives, Coastal BC bursts into bloom. Many flowers are short lived, but the Foxglove can be found long into summer.

Foxgloves come in white, purple, pink, and a combination.  Like the Scotch Broom, they are a European garden plant that escaped into the wild, but are not considered a detrimental invasive species, even though they have proliferated in lowland areas along the coast.

Foxgloves grow in open disturbed areas. Their drooping trumpet shaped flowers open from the bottom to the top of a tall straight stalk. A unique feature is that the lower flowers are female, and the upper ones are male. Pretty handy for pollination.

Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) plants are the original source for the heart medicine digitalis. In its natural state, all parts of the Foxglove are poisonous, so beware.


My favourite colour is the bright pink. I guess you can see why. -- Margy

11 comments:

  1. They are such pretty flowers, also grown in people's gardens as well. Lovely images!

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    1. I guess that's how they got to us in the first place. - Margy

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  2. That is all I remember of Foxglove - that is is poisonous from 4-H when I was in the Horse Club as a kid. Pretty though.

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    1. Didn't know that. I had horses when I was in junior and high school, then again about fifteen years ago. I loved riding. - Margy

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  3. They are beautiful flowers! Mine froze out last winter and I did not replace them.

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  4. They ring my chimes, as it were.

    ROG, ABCW

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  5. love these, especially when walking among the bush.

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  6. I always liked Foxglove. They grow prolifically in the logged off area on the tree farm. Hence the disturbed areas.
    Your comment on my snowy post is right on.
    MB

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  7. Love foxglove! These are beautiful pictures of them!

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  8. Thanks everyone for stopping by to comment on my Foxglove post. I am really learning a lot about the plants of Coastal British Columbia doing these posts. - Margy

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  9. I've grown these flowers and love them. Great photos!

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We welcome your comments and questions. - Wayne and Margy