At a glance, foxgloves and lupines are similar. And they actually have a lot in common. However, there are several key differences. We'll tell you exactly what these are in this article.
Foxglove and lupine – what’s the difference?
The main difference between foxglove (Digitalis) and lupine (Lupinus) lies in the plant genera: Foxglove is a plantain and mint family, while lupine is a legume and butterfly family. Their leaves are also different: foxglove has simple leaves, lupine has palmate leaves.
Why is it difficult to distinguish foxglove from lupine?
Foxglove and lupine are difficult to distinguish from one another at first glance, especially because both plants are essentially characterized by their magnificent,candles that bloom in strong colors.
If you just briefly walk or drive past a garden or field, it can easily happen that you mistake the plant for a foxglove, even though it is actually a lupine - or vice versa.
What are the differences between foxglove and lupine?
The most important difference between foxglove (Digitalis) and lupine (Lupinus) concerns the plant genera. Because while theFoxglove is a plantain and mint family, theLupine is a legume and butterfly family
Furthermore, theleaves of the two species differ significantly from each other: in the foxglove they are simple, whereas in the lupine they are noticeably palmate.
What similarities do foxgloves and lupines have?
Foxglove and lupine have several things in common: Thecandle-shaped flowersform the most obvious parallelism, which is also the main reason why the two plants are sometimes confused. Another common feature is that the beauties thrive insunny to partially shaded locations.
In addition, foxgloves and lupins are poisonous - although there is an exception for lupins: the seeds of sweet lupins, which are grown specifically for the food industry, are processed into various foods - they act as a vegetable protein source.
Tip
Combine foxglove and lupine – a feast for the eyes in the garden
Since both plants have similar demands on the location, you can combine foxglove and lupine in your garden. Planted next to each other, they provide a real feast for the eyes with their beautiful candles. Just make sure the flower colors match.
