Digitalis lutea - Yellow Foxglove

Family:	Scrophulariaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.6
Width:	0.3
Synonyms:
Range:	Europe.

Digitalis lutea (Yellow Foxglove) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.6m and a width of 0.3m . It has a hardness rating of 0.
Yellow Foxglove will flower in January. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Bees

Soil Information

Yellow Foxglove will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Yellow Foxglove prefers either dry or moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Yellow Foxglove can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Woodlands, hedgerows and uncultivated fields on siliceous soils[7].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Works within dappled Shade
• Grows in a shady edge

Cultivation Details

An easily grown plant, succeeding in ordinary garden soil, especially if it is rich in organic matter[1]. It 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]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits[233]. The yellow foxglove is a good companion plant, stimulating the growth of nearby plants[54]. Root crops grown near to this plant will store better[54].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 0/5
None known

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 4/5
Yellow foxglove is little used in herbal medicine but is in fact a less toxic alternative to the purple and woolly foxgloves (D. purpurea and D. lanata) which are widely used in the treatment of heart complaints[254]. The yellow foxglove has similar medical actions, but its alkaloids are more readily metabolized and flushed out of the body[254]. The leaves are cardiac, strongly diuretic, stimulant and tonic[7, 9, 46, 61]. They are used in the treatment of a weakened or failing heart, increasing the strength of contraction, slowing and steadying the heart rate and lowering blood pressure by strongly stimulating the flow of urine - which reduces overall blood volume[254]. The leaves of plants in their second year of growth are harvested in the summer and dried for later use[7]. This remedy should be used with caution and only under the supervision of a qualified practitioner, excessive doses can prove fatal[7, 254]. See also the notes above on toxicity.

• Cardiac - Used in the treatment of heart problems.
• Diuretic - Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
• Stimulant - Excites or quickens activity of the physiological processes. Faster acting than a tonic but differing from a narcotic in that it does not give a false sense of well-being.
• Tonic - Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.

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.

Known Hazards

All parts of the plant are poisonous[7, 65]. The plant is less dangerous that the common foxglove (D. purpurea) since its effects are not cumulative[7].

Other Uses

An infusion of the plant added to the water in the vase will prolong the life of cut flowers[54]. When grown near root crops the roots will store better[54].

• Preservative - For food, or for treating wood, ropes etc.

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

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