The foxglove produces only a dense rosette of leaves in the first seasons, but in the
second season it produces a tall, leafy flowering stalk from 3 to 4 feet high. The leaves
are from 4 to 12 inches long and about twice as wide, are wrinkled, downy, and with a
thick network of prominent veins. In early summer the tall flower stalk produces
numerous tubular, bell-shaped flowers that are about 2 inches long and vary in color:
white through lavender and purple. They grow from 2 to 5 feet tall and no wider then 2
feet. They grow best in zone 4-8. The foxglove is used in landscape design because of its
height and color. Some people consider the foxglove a weed.
The foxglove is susceptible to crown rot and many other diseases so it needs space and
drainage.
As with many poisonous plants, foxglove was traditionally used by expert herbalists for
medicinal purposes. Even today, drugs made from foxglove plants are used to strengthen
the heart and regulate heartbeat.