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Foxglove |
foxglove in flower |
NAME: Foxglove
GAELIC NAME:
Lus Mór 
Méarachán Dearg
LATIN NAME: Digitalis
Purpurea
COMMON / FOLK NAMES: Digitalis
Foxglove
Dead Men's Bells
Dog's Finger
Fairy Fingers
Fairy Gloves
Finger Flower
Folk's Glove
Lion's Mouth
Ladies' Glove
Purple Foxglove
MEDICINAL PART: Leaves
PLACE OF ORIGIN:
Northern Europe
also found in Western U.S.A along western coastline growing wild.
HABITAT: Wastelands,
Marshy areas and in Woodlands.
DESCRIPTION: The
stem is stout, succulent and downy growing to a height of 5 feet, sometimes up
to 6 feet. The leaves are alternate, oblong lanceolate, crenate, and
downy, the lower petioled, the upper sessile. Flowers are bell shaped and grow
on one sided racemes, rose coloured to purple on the outside with whitish area
covered with red-purple spots on inside.
FLOWERING PERIOD: June
to September
PROPERTIES: Cardiac:
Foxglove contains glycosides which are extracted from the second year's growth
of leaves to make the heart drug Digitalis.
Caution:
Skin irritant, do not touch the plant without gloves, causes rashes, headaches
and nausea.
POISON: NEVER USE WITHOUT MEDICAL DIRECTION!
Folklore:
'It can raise the dead but it can kill the living'
The Gaelic Irish peasantry
called it 'Lus Mór' - Great Herb, because to them it had almost magical
properties. Only Wise
Women and Men could administer it, because of its lethal properties.
It was also known as the 'Fairy Herb' and had a particular association with the Sidhe
Folk.
MAGICAL PROPERTIES
GENDER: Feminine
PLANET: Venus
ELEMENT: Water
POWERS: Psychic Awareness
Protection from
Malevolent Forces
RITUAL USES
Call on the Goddess Brigit
while using for divinatory purposes.
Call on Morrigan for increased psychic
awareness and connection to the otherworld.
Call on Dagda while using for
protection from malevolent forces.
MAGICAL USES
Use foxglove (with care!) in all spells which call for protection
or increasing psychic awareness.
Help with seeing things which are
hidden. The plant has the most power if gathered at the full moon.
If left to grow wild around your house it will protect it from malign
influences.
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Last Updated -
August 3, 2023
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