What does foxglove mean?
The foxglove is a striking flowering plant belonging to the genus Digitalis, best known through the common foxglove, Digitalis purpurea. It grows as a tall spike studded with drooping, bell-shaped blossoms, most often in shades of purple and pink, and thrives in woodland clearings, hedgerows, and cottage gardens across Europe and beyond. Gardeners prize it for its dramatic height and its appeal to bees, which crawl inside the tubular flowers to reach nectar. The word's name reflects its long-standing folk associations rather than any connection to actual foxes. Beyond the garden, the foxglove occupies an important place in medicine: compounds extracted from it led to drugs such as digoxin, still used to treat certain heart conditions. At the same time, all parts of the plant are highly toxic if ingested, making it both a celebrated ornament and a plant to handle with respect and care.
nounA tall biennial or perennial garden plant of the genus Digitalis, bearing spikes of bell-shaped, typically purple-pink flowers; it is also the common name for the genus itself.
- The flowering plant Digitalis purpurea (the common foxglove) and related species of the genus Digitalis.
- Any cultivated hybrid or ornamental variety within the genus Digitalis, grown in gardens for its showy flower spikes.
"The cottage garden was brightened by towering spires of foxglove swaying against the old stone wall."
"Bees climb deep into each foxglove bell in search of nectar."
"The herbalist warned that every part of the foxglove is toxic if eaten."
As a countable plant name, foxglove takes the regular plural 'foxgloves'; the singular is often used generically when discussing the species as a whole.
"In early summer the lane was edged with drifts of pink foxgloves."
This beautiful garden flower gave the world digoxin, a powerful heart medicine — which is fitting, because the whole plant is also dangerously poisonous.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of foxglove
The name foxglove comes from early English vernacular speech, recorded in forms such as the Old English 'foxes glofa', meaning literally a fox's glove — though why the plant earned this name is uncertain, with explanations ranging from fox-like flowers to folkloric tales of foxes wearing the bells. The scientific name Digitalis derives from Latin, referring to the finger-like ('digitus') shape of the blossoms. The English common name has remained remarkably stable over centuries, alongside numerous regional folk names for the plant.
How foxglove is actually used
Foxglove is used almost exclusively as a common noun referring to the plant; it appears in gardening writing, botanical references, and folklore discussions. The word carries pleasant horticultural connotations in British usage, where it is strongly associated with cottage gardens and hedgerows, though it is equally known as a poisonous plant.
Easily confused with foxglove
Lupins are unrelated plants with similarly tall flower spikes, but their pea-like blooms differ from the tubular bells of the foxglove.