Practical
Plants

Digitalis lanata

Grecian Foxglove

a biennial or perennial evergreen member of the Digitalis genus in the family Scrophulariaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
biennial, perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Height
0.6 m
Spread
0.3 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

All parts of the plant are poisonous[16][15].

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The Grecian foxglove is a widely used herbal medicine with a recognised stimulatory effect upon the heart. It is also used in allopathic medicine as the main source of the cardiac glycosides that are used in the treatment of heart complaints[10][11]. It has a profound tonic effect upon a diseased heart, enabling the heart to beat more slowly, powerfully and regularly without requiring more oxygen[11]. At the same time it stimulates the flow of urine which lowers the volume of the blood and lessens the load on the heart[11]. The plant contains cardiac glycosides (including digoxin, digitoxin and lanatosides). Digitoxin rapidly strengthens the heartbeat but is excreted very slowly. Digoxin is therefore preferred as a long-term medication[11]. The leaves are cardiac, diuretic, stimulant and tonic[12][17][7][13][2]. The leaves should only be harvested from plants in their second year of growth, picked when the flowering spike has grown and about two thirds of the flowers have opened[12]. Harvested at other times, there is less of the medically active alkaloid present[12]. The seed has also been used in the past[12]. The leaves also have a very beneficial effect on the kidneys, they are strongly diuretic and are used with benefit in the treatment of dropsy[12]. Great care should be exercised in the use of this plant, the therapeutic dose is very close to the lethal dose[8]. Their use should always be supervised by a qualified practitioner since in excess they cause nausea, vomiting, slow pulse, visual disturbance, anorexia and fainting[10]. See also the notes above on toxicity. A homeopathic remedy is made from the leaves[17]. It is used in the treatment of cardiac disorders[17].

Product or use
Cardiac
Product or use
Stimulant
Product or use
Tonic

Environment

Range
E. Europe.
Habitat
Woods and scrub[14].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - surface sow early spring in a cold frame. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 4 weeks at 20°c[3]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An easily grown plant, succeeding in ordinary garden soil, especially if it is rich in organic matter[1]. It prefers a neutral to acid soil[10] and also succeeds in dry soils and, once established, is drought tolerant[4][5]. It prefers semi-shade but succeeds in full sun if the soil is moist[4][6]. The Grecian foxglove is cultivated for the medicinally active glycosides that are contained in the leaves[10]. This species is preferred over D. purpurea as a source of glycosides for the pharmaceutical industry[10]. Plants are either biennial or short-lived perennials[10]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits[9]. This species can develop crown rot and root rot when growing in damp conditions[10].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

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  3. Bird. R. (Editor) Focus on Plants. Volume 5. (formerly 'Growing from seed') Thompson and Morgan. 1991-00-00

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  4. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩1↩2

  5. Chatto. B. The Dry Garden. Dent 1982-00-00 ISBN 0460045512

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  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

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  7. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

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  8. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

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  9. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

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  10. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  11. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  12. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  13. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

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  14. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

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  15. Frohne. D. and Pf�nder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984-00-00 ISBN 0723408394

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  16. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

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  17. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩1↩2↩3

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