Plants to look for in June — Foxglove

The dark pink ‘splodges’ on foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea) are not there just for decoration but are believed to be ‘nectar guides’ which direct insects towards the nectar at the base of the flower. They act a bit like lights along a runway guiding the pollinators in! The main pollinators of foxgloves are bumble bees and the entrance to the flower has guard hairs which are believed to deter other smaller insects from crawling into the flower. The hairs may also offer some support to the bumble bee as it tries to make its way up the flower. 

Once the flower has been pollinated, lots of small, light seeds are produced. They are so light that they are easily carried by the wind and can even float on water. As a result, they are really good at spreading (dispersing) their seed, allowing them to  quickly take over areas where the land has recently been cleared. For this reason they are known as pioneer species. They also contain a substance which is used to stimulate the heart. For this reason they should not be eaten and are considered poisonous.

For more information see
https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/foxglove