NEN Gallery

A tall upright hairy plant with purple flowers hanging from a single stem. The cluster of flowers always hangs at the top of the stem and on the same side. It has five indistinct lobes with a larger lobe at the bottom of the flower. Lance shaped leaves form a rosette at the base of the flower. The leaf stalk becomes winged where it joins the stem. The leaves reduce in size as you go further up the stem. The oval fruits ripen to black before breaking open to release the seeds. Foxglove is very poisonous, however it produces a drug digitalis which, in very small doses, is used to treat heart complaints. Picture taken near Potton, Bedfordshire June 25th 2006.