Digitalis purpurea

Digitalis purpurea, commonly known as foxglove, is a toxic herbaceous biennial or short-lived perennial famous for its tall spikes of tubular, spotted flowers. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant and is historically significant as the original botanical source of the cardiac medication digoxin.

Native to Western Europe, North Africa, and several Mediterranean islands, it thrives in acidic soils, woodland clearings, and disturbed sites. It has been widely introduced and naturalized across North America, South America, Asia, and Oceania.

It is a highly popular ornamental garden plant with many cultivated varieties available for landscaping. Ecologically, its nectar-rich tubular flowers are an important food source for bees, particularly bumblebees.

In traditional European folk medicine, preparations of the leaves were historically used to treat dropsy and heart ailments. It is the original botanical source of the cardiac glycosides digoxin and digitoxin, which were later isolated for modern pharmaceutical use.

In British and Celtic folklore, the spotted flowers were believed to be marked by fairy fingerprints or worn as gloves by fairies and foxes. It was also sometimes planted near cottage doors to ward off evil spirits and witches.