[Welsh Girls Allotment]

The birds have kindly deposited a few foxgloves on my plot and they have flowered beautifully this year, however I am thinking about cutting them and using them in arrangements in the house but something in the back of mind is saying there is a superstition attatched to them - any ideas ?? am I right or wrong ??

[gobs]

Don't know about superstition, but they are rather poisonous.

[jazzbyrd]

There is superstition attached to lilac flowers from the lilac tree. My mother would never have them in the house. She said it was unlucky to bring them inside a house!!

Jazzbyrd

[lincspoacher]

Ohh yes, foxglove -

Depending on the species, the digitalis plant may contain several deadly physiological and chemically related cardiac and steroidal glycosides. Thus, the digitalis has earned several more sinister monikers: Dead Man’s Bells, and Witches’ Gloves.

The entire plant is poisonous (including the roots and seeds), although the leaves of the upper stem are particularly potent, with just a nibble being enough to potentially cause death. Early symptoms of ingestion include nausea, vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, abdominal pain, wild hallucinations, delirium, and severe headache. Depending on the severity of the toxicosis the victim may later suffer irregular and slow pulse, tremors, various cerebral disturbances, especially of a visual nature (unusual color visions with objects appearing yellowish to green, and blue halos around lights), convulsions, and deadly disturbances of the heart - both increased heart rate, causing heart failure, and irregular, or slow heartbeat, using ending in heart stoppage.

There have been instances of people confusing digitalis with the harmless Symphytum (comfrey) plant (which is often brewed into a tea) with fatal consequences. Other fatal accidents involve children drinking the water in a vase containing digitalis plants. Drying does not reduce the toxicity of the plant. The plant is toxic to animals including all classes of livestock, as well as cats and dogs.

So not a good plan to chuck it on the compost, then compost the cabbages with it.........

[Welsh Girls Allotment]

:shock:  I didn't realise that it was that bad !

[Aunt Sally]

Gosh I grow fox gloves and always compost them.

Oh dear.....  

[Welsh Girls Allotment]

I was intending to propagate and encourage them and a have a foxglove corner  :shock:

[Aunt Sally]

I've done that for years WGA

[GrannieAnnie]

Nothing wrong with growing them, just don't eat them!!!!!   :puker:

[Ruby Red]

Blimey makes you wonder how the human race has lasted so long. I just plant them and cut the flowers off after the first flowers have died and you will get more flowers later in the year. Ive never been ill after touching them.  :?

[chrissie B]

hi jazzbyrd over here the lilac is called easter flower and is often picked and left in varses till they are all brown and crispy .
chrissie b

[Teen76]

I knew they can give you a heart attack and I believe that they use parts of it as heart attack treatment too with the same name Digitalis.  

I found two sinister names for foxgloves Dead Man's Bells and Witches Gloves.

Apparently it not only poisons humans but cats, dogs and livestock.  Drying doesn't take away any toxicity so composting possibly might not be the best thing.  But I'm no expert.

[compostqueen]

It grows like weeds here in my garden.  I love the apricot shades but they don't seem to self seed like the white ones

Never had any problems with them and I suppose they're safe as long as you don't eat em

[purplebean]

We had loads but I have been pulling them all up for the last couple of years. Now the little one is four and knows not to touch anything without asking first I have left just a couple to flower this year. I love watching bees reverse out of the flowers  

[mdueal]

Digoxin is the drug derived from digitalis - it is a cradiac glycoside used in the treatment of atrial fibrillation and heart failure. It seems backwards that it is used to treat conditions it could cause - but it has a very small 'therapeutic window' and if you are on it you need to have your blood levels of the drug checked regularly to avoid poisoning yourself with it!