Foxglove
Nov 3, 2022 05:15:28 #
SX2002 wrote:
We planted this in our front garden, not sure about it though. It is very pretty but I believe it's poisonous..!
Beautiful images Ron.
Nov 3, 2022 06:06:09 #
SX2002 wrote:
We planted this in our front garden, not sure about it though. It is very pretty but I believe it's poisonous..!
Beautiful flowers!!
There are a lot of beautiful toxic/poisonous plants in nature!! That don't necessarily mean they are Deadly, a Lot of them will make you wish for death to get relief and then there are the ones that can kill!!
Lily of the Valley is one I remember we had some growing in our yard, never had a problem BUT our girls were taught not to mess with anything , that meant DON't touch, with out asking and getting an answer!!
Nov 3, 2022 08:41:41 #
[quote=SX2002]We planted this in our front garden, not sure about it though. It is very pretty but I believe it's poisonous..
Sure is pretty in pink, ron, and very nicely photographed!
Nov 3, 2022 11:13:41 #
Foxglove, technically known as Digitalis purpurea, is used to make digitalis or digoxin, a heart medication. It is poisonous.
Nov 3, 2022 12:39:45 #
ad8rr
Loc: Jackson, Michigan
Very nice image of a beautiful plant. Foxglove is the original source of the drug Digitalis, a cardiac medication that slows and strengthens the heartbeat. Digitalis/Digoxin is not used as much anymore, but is still a very powerful alternative to some of the more modern drugs used for tachycardia and atrial fibrillation. Foxglove leaves and sometimes dried flowers were used originally as herbal medications for heart conditions before pharmaceutical grade tablets were manufactured, and dosage was very hard to control. While technically not "poisonous", ingesting too much of the foxglove plant can be fatal as it can slow the heart too much, or even stop it.
Nov 3, 2022 13:01:25 #
Nov 3, 2022 13:32:22 #
Nov 3, 2022 13:47:39 #
inishowenjohn
Loc: Hindley Green Wigan
One of my favourite flowers. I reached 75 years of age before I learned it is poisonous!!! (I'm still going!)
Nov 3, 2022 16:25:16 #
One of my favorite flowers. I had a few plants and they managed to spread themselves everywhere, so I had them coming up and blooming every summer despite the fact that the are biennials. 
Nov 3, 2022 16:47:11 #
JimMN
Loc: Eden Prairie, MN
Foxglove, also called Digitalis as someone mentioned earlier can be deadly. In pharmacy school 60 years ago we studied Digitalis. It was considered a cardiac glycoside and was effective for the treatment of heart diseases. Before it was standardized with milligram doses it was standardized as a "Cat Unit". A cat unit was the amount of Digitalis that would kill half of the cats used in the study. In our pharmacognosy class we raised Foxglove (Digitalis).
Nov 3, 2022 17:38:28 #
As noted by sabfish and ad9rr, foxglove, so beautifully photographed here, is the original source for digitalis and related medicines. It has been used since antiquity to treat various conditions, and for centuries for heart related illnesses. Often grown in English gardens, English housewives would brew a tea of it as a remedy for "dropsy". This was a term for swollen feet and lower legs, often due to heart failure. Who knows how many people may have died from overdoses of this herbal tea, especially since it must have been so difficult to done it correctly?
Nov 3, 2022 18:31:35 #
SX2002 wrote:
We planted this in our front garden, not sure about it though. It is very pretty but I believe it's poisonous..!
Yep! That is Digitalis Purpurea. That produces an alkaloid known as digitalis. The drug is known as Digoxin. It is used to treat certain heart conditions such as congestive heart failure, fluid buildup on the body and some heart arythmias. It is poisonous to dogs, cats and people. As a medication, careful use is required and constant lab tests are done.
It is quite beautiful since the flowering tops are pink, purple or white. It is best to enjoy these flowering delights from a distance.
Nov 8, 2022 15:19:41 #
Nov 8, 2022 16:33:42 #
Sylvias wrote:
Pretty colourful flower and nice set Ron.
Thank you Sylvia...
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.