Purple bells line my stem, reaching for the sky,
Along the roads, in fields, and parks I’m easy on the eye,
But don’t be fooled, I’m poisonous to you and your pets,
Best to stop my spread so I’m no longer a threat.
If you’ve spent a summer in the Sea to Sky, chances are you’ve seen this showy invasive alongside roads and trails. Native to the Mediterranean, Common Foxglove was first brought to North America as a garden ornamental and medicinal plant. Indeed, the chemicals extracted from Common Foxglove are used to make digoxin, which treats congestive heart failure. But beware, all parts of the plant are highly toxic to humans and animals if ingested and can affect muscle tissue and circulation.
Since Common Foxglove is a biennial: its iconic magenta flowers don’t bloom until its second year of growth. In its first year, Common Foxglove is identifiable by its rosette of green, lance-shaped, velvet-looking leaves, with soft white hairs covering both sides.
When flowering, Common Foxglove is recognizable by its tall ‘spike’ of pink, white or purple bell-shaped flowers with spots and fine hairs on the inside. Apparently, Common Foxglove earned its name from its flowers that resemble the fingers of gloves. As for its correlation to foxes, there is a variety of folklore with charming theories.
Although Common Foxglove can be pulled easily by hand, it is found in such large numbers in the Sea to Sky Region that SSISC focuses its effort on strategically controlling it. That means that we control Common Foxglove at sites considered strategic or valuable to protect, like wildlife habitats, agricultural land, etc. To help reduce its spread, avoid purchasing wildflower mixes that contain Common Foxglove and hand-pull any plants that have invaded your property (with protective gear such as gloves and long sleeves). Remember to bag all flower heads and dispose of them in the garbage — not the compost!
If you spot Common Foxglove encroaching on valuable land, please report it.
I Spy in the Sea to Sky Contest
It’s your last month to guess the invasive species in our I Spy in the Sea to Sky weekly social media post, to enter the giveaway. At the end of each month, one lucky commenter will win a Native Wildflower seed mix packet!
Contest Rules:
- Comment your guess (common name or species name) on either Facebook or Instagram post to enter
- One entry per person per post
- Anyone can play, but only residents of the Sea to Sky region are eligible to win (as prizes will be delivered)
- Content entries will close at 11:59 PM PST on the last day of the month
- Winners will be announced in the first week of the following month on the SSISC Instagram story and contacted via their platform of entry
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