Growing This Beautiful Tubular Flower Has A Toxic Downside

Gardeners, beware: There's an eye-catching tubular flower that's as toxic as it is stunning, so you may want to think twice before growing it in your garden. To safely enjoy its beauty, use caution when growing foxglove (Digitalis purpurea). Few plants capture the romance of a cottage garden like these bell-shaped flowers, often blooming in shades of purple, pink, or creamy white. Foxglove's nodding flowers, each speckled with intricate markings, rise above rosettes of green leaves, adding vertical interest to garden beds and borders. While hummingbirds will visit your yard for this tall & spiky cottage garden flower, hidden behind this graceful display is a serious problem: the plant is poisonous, and the lovely spikes of foxglove can be dangerous to people and pets alike.

Foxglove is native to western Europe and North Africa but is now common in gardens worldwide. The plants are typically biennial, forming their leafy rosettes in the first year and sending their up tall flower spikes in the second. Their funnel-shaped blooms look a bit like the fingertip of a glove, which is what earned them their Old English name, "foxes glofa" (the glove of the fox). While the plant may look enchanting, foxglove contains compounds known as cardiac glycosides, which can interfere with the heart's rhythm. Ingesting even small amounts can cause nausea, dizziness, and a slowed or irregular heartbeat. Despite this danger, foxglove continues to be a popular flower. 

The danger of foxglove lies in its chemistry. All parts of the plant — flowers, leaves, stems, and even seeds — contain cardiac glycosides such as digoxin and digitoxin. These affect the heart muscle, increasing the force of contraction while slowing the heartbeat. In medicine, these compounds can be used to treat certain heart conditions, but the margin between a helpful dose and a deadly one is perilously narrow. This is why foxglove in the garden must be appreciated for its beauty alone, and gardeners who already have it in their yards may want to learn how to safely remove poisonous foxglove plants. 

Toxicity peaks right before seeds ripen, and the upper leaves are especially potent. The plant remains toxic even when dried, which means it poses a risk not only to curious children and pets, but also to any livestock that might encounter it in hay. For those who love the look of foxglove's blooms but want a safer choice, snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) offer a similar appearance without the poison, and there are many native plant alternatives to grow instead of invasive foxglove for a healthier garden.

Gardeners who still wish to grow foxglove should take precautions. It's imperative to plant foxglove out of reach of children and pets. When handling the plant, always wear gloves. With the right awareness and care, it's possible to enjoy the drama foxglove brings to the garden while minimizing its dangers.