Foxglove
All parts of the plant are highly poisonous.
The foxglove is a widely used herbal medicine with a recognised stimulatory effect upon the heart. It is also used in allopathic medicine in the treatment of heart complaints. It has a profound tonic effect upon a diseased heart, enabling the heart to beat more slowly, powerfully and regularly without requiring more oxygen.
At the same time it stimulates the flow of urine which lowers the volume of the blood and lessens the load on the heart.
Great care should be exercised in the use of this plant, the therapeutic dose is very close to the lethal dose.
An infusion of the plant prolongs the life of cut flowers.
Root crops growing near this plant store better.
An apple-green dye is obtained from the flowers.
The flowers are very attractive to bees.
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits.
A good companion plant, it stimulates the growth of nearby plants, growing well with pine trees.