Everwilde Farms - 2000 Mixed Foxglove Garden Flower Seeds - Gold Vault Jumbo Bulk Seed Packet

Straight from the storybooks, this old-fashioned favorite brings a special charm to cottage gardens. The colorful blossoms are easy to grow, and also attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Foxglove grows as a wildflower in Great Britain and throughout Europe and can be found in records dating back to the time of Edward III of England. Historically, its common name was "Folksglove" in reference to the little folk, or fairies; these flowers often grew in the deep dells and glades of the forest where the fairies were said to live. One legend states that naughty sprites would give the fox the blossoms of this plant to wear on his feet, to quiet his step among the farmyards. Dr. William Withering first brought foxglove to the attention of the medical world in 1785, detailing its use in an important document that helped begin the modern pharmacology movement. This plant produces digitoxin, a substance included in the heart-stimulating drug digitalis. The name Digitalis, also the genus name of the species, comes from the Latin word for finger and refers to the shape of the foxglove blossom.