WildflowersSeen in the wild

Digitalis purpurea

Foxglove

Tall spires of purple-pink bells rise above woodland edges. Foxgloves readily appear on cleared ground and banks with acidic soil.

See all four seasons Explore fruits, seeds & edibility ↓ Where to look & how to find it ↓

Some plants are poisonous. Do not identify by a photograph alone, and never taste them.

FIELDCRAFT · FIND WITH CARE

Finding guide

Season first

Choose the season, find the habitat, then watch patiently. Search guidance is not a measure of rarity or conservation status.

When to go: Usually flowers June–August.
Where to start: Look beside forest tracks and on disturbed slopes in Ireland, including suitable habitats in Wicklow. Do not pick or taste the plants.
What to do when you arrive: In early summer, scan woodland tracks and disturbed slopes for tall spikes, then check the one-sided tubular flowers. Do not taste or handle the plant, or climb steep ground for a photograph.

Habitat and behaviour reference: Wildflowers of Ireland ↗ · The practical steps are editorial advice based on the references, not live sightings.

ONE PLANT · FOUR SEASONS

One plant. Four seasons.

Look beyond the flowers: fresh leaves, fruits, bare stems and dormancy.

Meteorological seasons: spring March–May, summer June–August, autumn September–November and winter December–February. Irish weather, cultivar, pruning and plant age affect timing and appearance.

Photos illustrate the relevant feature, not the same plant photographed through a year in Ireland. Features shared across seasons, such as evergreen leaves, may use the same reference. Missing reliable photos are marked; dormancy is not death.

Spring

Mar–May

Foliage and growth

Young plants form large downy rosettes while mature plants begin to elongate.

Summer

Jun–Aug

Flowers

Tall stems carry spotted tubular bells, usually June–August.

Autumn

Sep–Nov

Feature photo not yet availableUse the appearance notes below; a different seasonal stage is not substituted.

Seeds and spent flowers

Flowered stems become dry seed spikes, often beside next-generation rosettes.

Winter

Dec–Feb

Foliage and growth

Many young plants overwinter as rosettes; old flower stems may stand without flowers.

Seasonal references: Wildflowers of Ireland ↗ · Photo resized, converted to JPEG and stripped of metadata.

FRUIT · SEED · FOOD SAFETY

Fruits, seeds & edibility

Know the structure, then the part. Recognising a plant does not make it food.

Fruit

Egg-shaped capsules line the old flowering stem and split when mature.

Food use of this part: Do not eat

Seeds & dispersal units

Verified close-up not yet available

Refer to the description below until a suitable photo is verified; flowers or other species are not substituted.

Each capsule contains numerous tiny brown seeds; this plant is not food.

Food use of this part: Do not eat

Some seed references show intact one-seeded fruits or dispersal units, as identified in their captions. A whole-fruit photo is not a close-up of the enclosed seed. Cones and arils are not true fruits of flowering plants.

Sources & limitations

Wildflowers of Ireland ↗ · Botanical description, not proof of food safety
NC State Extension · Plant Toolbox ↗

No field detoxification methods or safe doses are provided. Never taste a plant to identify it or eat treated or contaminated specimens. Seek professional help after suspected accidental ingestion. National Poisons Information Centre, Ireland ↗

Photo resized, converted to JPEG and stripped of metadata.

BOTANICAL NOTESPlant notes

How to identify it

Drooping tubular flowers have dark spots inside the throat; white flowers sometimes occur. Large, downy oval leaves form a basal rosette before the flowering stem develops.

Where it grows

Woodland clearings, moorland margins, hillsides and sea cliffs on acidic soils.

Growth and ecology

Usually biennial: a leaf rosette forms in the first year and a tall flowering stem in the second. Bumblebees visit the flowers. All parts are poisonous; never eat them.

Flowering and seasons

Usually flowers June–August.

Where to look

Look beside forest tracks and on disturbed slopes in Ireland, including suitable habitats in Wicklow. Do not pick or taste the plants.

Seasons vary with weather and location. Suggested habitats are places to look, not guaranteed sightings. Photos show only some features; check leaves, flowers, fruits and specialist references together.

Further reading:Wildflowers of Ireland ↗

Photo license: Jörg Hempel · CC BY-SA 3.0 de ↗ · License terms ↗
Photo resized, converted to JPEG and stripped of metadata.

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