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Digitalis lanata - Ehrh.

Common Name Grecian Foxglove
Family Scrophulariaceae
USDA hardiness Coming soon
Known Hazards All parts of the plant are poisonous[7, 65]. Unsafe for self-medication. Monitoring by a physician to determine correct dose recommended. For overdose give activated charcoal. Can be fatal especially to children [301].
Habitats Woods and scrub[50].
Range E. Europe.
Edibility Rating    (0 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (4 of 5)
Care (info)
Well drained soil Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Digitalis lanata Grecian Foxglove


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Digitalis_lanata.jpg
Digitalis lanata Grecian Foxglove
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Llez

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Digitalis lanata is an evergreen Biennial/Perennial growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in). It is in leaf all year, in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen in September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Digitalis epiglottidea. Digitalis orientalis. Digitalis winterli .

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;

Edible Uses

None known

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Cardiac  Stimulant  Tonic

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[238, 254]. It has a profound tonic effect upon a diseased heart, enabling the heart to beat more slowly, powerfully and regularly without requiring more oxygen[254]. At the same time it stimulates the flow of urine which lowers the volume of the blood and lessens the load on the heart[254]. 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[254]. The leaves are cardiac, diuretic, stimulant and tonic[4, 9, 21, 46, 171]. 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[4]. Harvested at other times, there is less of the medically active alkaloid present[4]. The seed has also been used in the past[4]. 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[4]. Great care should be exercised in the use of this plant, the therapeutic dose is very close to the lethal dose[222]. Their use should always be supervised by a qualified practitioner since in excess they cause nausea, vomiting, slow pulse, visual disturbance, anorexia and fainting[238]. See also the notes above on toxicity. A homeopathic remedy is made from the leaves[9]. It is used in the treatment of cardiac disorders[9]. Digitalis lanata has three times the physiological effects of Digitalis purpurea and in now preferred due to the quick onset of effects [301].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

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[238] and also succeeds in dry soils and, once established, is drought tolerant[188, 190]. It prefers semi-shade but succeeds in full sun if the soil is moist[188, 200]. The Grecian foxglove is cultivated for the medicinally active glycosides that are contained in the leaves[238]. This species is preferred over D. purpurea as a source of glycosides for the pharmaceutical industry[238]. Plants are either biennial or short-lived perennials[238]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits[233]. This species can develop crown rot and root rot when growing in damp conditions[238].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Plant Propagation

Seed - surface sow early spring in a cold frame. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 4 weeks at 20°c[175]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Turkey EUROPE: Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Moldova, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Romania, Serbia

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Digitalis ferrugineaRusty FoxgloveBiennial/Perennial1.2 4-9 MLMHSNDM02 
Digitalis grandifloraLarge Yellow FoxglovePerennial0.9 3-10 MLMHSNDM02 
Digitalis laevigata Perennial1.0 -  LMHSNDM02 
Digitalis luteaYellow Foxglove, Straw foxglovePerennial0.6 0-0  LMHSNDM041
Digitalis purpureaFoxglove, Purple foxglove, Common FoxgloveBiennial1.2 4-8 MLMHSNDM042

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

Ehrh.

Botanical References

50200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

anbarasan   Tue Feb 20 2007

what is the common name of this plant in Indian Languages such as tamil

Wang Zhenglian   Mon Dec 10 2007

Dear Freinds! We, Guangzhou Tecano Science and Technology Co., Ltd. want to buy 100gm seed of Digitalis lanata Can you sell them to us? Wangzhenglian, General Manager.

Peringattulli Narayanan Vasudevan   Wed Jan 21 2009

Whether the plant is grown in india. If so in which place. Is it any possibility of getting seeds for cultivation.

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