Anyone who handles them should wash their hands well afterwards. The foxglove leaves literally have it all. How can you recognize them? What else should gardeners know about them?
Are foxglove leaves poisonous and dangerous?
Foxglove leaves are poisonous and contain digitaloids that can affect heart rhythm. Just two leaves can be fatal to an adult. Foxglove is therefore unsuitable for gardens with children and pets.
Are the leaves poisonous?
Like all other parts of the foxglove plant, the leaves are also poisonous. The highest amounts of the so-called digitaloids are found primarily in the stems and leaves. These influence the heart rhythm. What sounds harmless can end in death.
Just two foxglove leaves can mean the difference between life and death for an adult. Children and animals are particularly at risk. Therefore you should never plant the foxglove in gardens with children and pets.
Poisoning by foxglove leaves can, in the worst case scenario, result in cardiac arrest. Minor poisonings can be recognized by the following symptoms, among others:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Hallucinations
- Visual problems
- Delirium
- Cardiac arrhythmias
External characteristics of the leaves
You can recognize the leaves by the following external features:
- constantly fitting
- Basal leaves stalked, stem leaves sessile
- ovoid to lanceolate
- up to 20 cm long
- notched at the edge
- greyish-felty hair underneath
The basal leaves of the foxglove form a rosette. In the first year, this rosette of leaves appears on the ground. The flowers emerge the following year. It is not uncommon for the leaves to be mistaken for weeds and removed. The end of the perennial foxglove
Diseases leave traces on the leaves
Anyone who has planted the foxglove can be frightened when it gets ugly leaves, doesn't bloom and leads a miserable existence. Sometimes he is attacked by diseases. These primarily include powdery mildew and leaf spot (virus).
As soon as the leaves develop white spots, suddenly turn brown or curl up, this is an alarm signal for the gardener to reconsider their care and pay more attention to the foxglove.
In the case of mildew, the affected plant parts should be removed and disposed of. In order to avoid the development of fungal diseases, good drainage of the foxglove and a good supply of nutrients are the top priority.
Tips & Tricks
For the cautious: The leaves can be used externally as a poultice to promote wound healing.