Folklore of Foxgloves: Witches' Thimbles and Dead Men's Bells

Foxgloves are one of the most enchanting wildflowers you might encounter in a shady woodland. With their deep pink flowers on spikes that can grow as tall as a person, they certainly arrest the attention.

Even their name is evocative, with a smattering of legends to explain where ‘foxglove’ came from. Yet as pretty as the foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is, the plant is also poisonous. It’s great for bees, but less so for us.

At least, not if we don’t need the toxins it provides the pharmaceutical industry for heart medicine!

But given their host of folk names, association with witches, and appearance in legend, let’s dig into the folklore of foxgloves in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore!

Find the images and sources used on the associated blog post: https://www.icysedgwick.com/folklore-of-foxgloves/

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