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Foxglove Meaning Around the World
by Kathleen Karlsen, Author of Flower Symbols
Foxglove flowers are associated with the sacred and with magic around the world. Foxglove meaning includes both positive and negative symbolism. This is because foxglove flowers sometimes hurt and sometimes heal. Foxglove plants are medicinal on the one hand and may cause illness or death on the other hand.
Foxglove Topics to Explore
Foxglove In addition, there are many fascinating slang terms for foxglove flowers. This article covers foxglove symbolism, the role of foxglove flowers in mythology, and historic uses of this amazing plant.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Discover the connection between foxglove flowers and fairies
- Explore ancient and modern foxglove meaning
- Find out the meaning foxglove-related slang
- Consider gifting Flower Symbols to your favorite flower lover
Foxglove Meaning and Fairies
The common name for foxglove flowers is an abbreviation of the phrase “folk’s gloves.” In this context, “folk” refers to fairy folk. Another possible origin of the name “foxglove” is due to its similarity to an ancient bell-shaped musical instrument, the fox’s glew. Yet another theory is that fox wear gloves from the flower so they are not caught raiding chicken coops.
Foxgloves and Fairies
Fairies are mythical beings who exist in a dimension slightly removed from our normal, waking reality. Though usually viewed as positive in modern times, they were once thought of as a bit more mischievous and even dangerous. Fairies are visible to certain people or in certain circumstances.
Types of Fairies
Although fairies are usually thought of as small creatures, they actually come in many sizes and types. The small fairies associated with the meaning of foxglove flowers would be referred to as fae folk, pixies, elves, or brownies. Rumor also has it that picking foxglove harms or kills the fairy folk. Most likely, this tale is told to children to keep them away from the poisonous plant.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCE: Learn more about fairies in our article on Bluebell Flower Meaning.
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Foxglove Spiritual Meaning
Foxglove flowers also play a role in major religions. For example, in medieval times, gardens dedicated to the Virgin Mary were called Mary Gardens. A statue of the Virgin Mary was surrounded by flowers with spiritual meanings. In these gardens, foxglove flowers are called “Our Lady’s Gloves” or “Gloves of the Virgin.”
Gardens Dedicated to the Virgin Mary
In modern times, Mary Gardens are places of prayer and meditation. Formal Mary Gardens follow prescribed patterns of flower groups. Several hundred flowers represent various aspects of worship and devotion to Mary, with symbolic meaning due to the shape, color or foliage of the chosen flowers.
Symbolic Flower Garlands
In the Catholic tradition, the month of May is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. A traditional ritual is the “May Crowning.” During this ceremony, a young woman places a garland of flowers on the head of a statue of Mother Mary. Other children also participate as part of this ceremony.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCE: Explore 75 of the world’s most beloved Sacred Flowers.
Modern Foxglove Meaning
The scientific name of foxglove flowers is digitalis, a reference to the presence of powerful chemicals that can heal heart conditions if taken correctly. For example, digitalis can regulate fast or irregular heartbeats. Thus, digitalis is often prescribed for patients with arterial fibrillation. For those with these heart conditions, digitalis can be life-saving. This connects to the foxglove flower meaning of healing.
Dangers of Foxglove Flowers
On the other hand, digitalis can also be dangerous if taken incorrectly. Too much digitoxin causes anorexia, nausea, diarrhea and blurred vision. Ingesting the flowers, leaves and seeds can be fatal, especially for small children, due to the presence of cardiac glycosides that may disrupt heart function.
Association with Death
In fact, foxglove are so dangerous that children have died from drinking the water from vases containing foxglove flowers. The danger of these compounds is reflected in various foxglove flower names including “Dead Man’s Bells” and “Witch’s Gloves.”
Ancient Foxglove Meanings
Other meanings for foxglove flowers come down from ancient lore. In addition to insincerity and danger as negative aspects of foxglove meaning, foxgloves can also mean pride. Foxglove flowers connect with ambition, either for oneself or on another’s behalf. In Scandinavian mythology, fairies teach foxes to warn other animals in the forest of the approach of hunters by ringing the foxglove flower bells.
Roman Mythology and Foxglove Flowers
Even further back, Roman legends link foxglove flowers to the goddess Flora. In Roman mythology, Flora touches Hera with foxglove to impregnate her with the god Mars. Foxglove flowers associate with midwifery and women’s magic as a result. The connection to midwifery led to even more names revealing foxglove meaning: “Granny’s Gloves” and “Granny’s Bonnets.” Elderly women and herbalists often served as midwives.
Foxglove Flowers and Immortality
Finally, foxglove flowers symbolize immortality. They grow quickly, reseed themselves and are rarely susceptible to insects. Flowers that bloom perennially or in spite of hard circumstances are often associated with immortality. Other flowers that symbolize immortality include bamboo, amaranth, lilac and primrose.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCE: Explore the history of Symbolic Flowers.
Foxglove Slang & Folk Names
The alphabetical list below includes foxglove name meanings throughout history from many different cultures. The list demonstrates the wide variety of slang terms and folk names given to foxglove.
Dead Man’s Bells: a reference to the poison digitalis contained in foxglove flowers
Drug slang (Foxglove): digitalis or digoxin, a dangerous street drug
Fingerhut: German name for foxglove, reference to the single finger of a glove, also means thimble
Folk’s Gloves: term for foxglove flowers as the gloves of various types of fairies
Fox Gloves: fox wear these flowers to avoid capture when raiding chicken coops
Golden Foxglove: a mixture of defecation and urine used to attract flies away from a camping area
Granny’s Gloves: reference to older woman who served as midwives and could gently deliver a baby
Little Glove: French name for foxglove flowers, translation of “gantelee”
Music Slang (Foxglove): music with an ethereal or haunting quality
Our Lady’s Gloves: foxglove flowers are dedicated to the Virgin Mary in medieval gardens
Sex Slang (Foxglove): a reference to a woman’s vagina due to the shape of the flower
Witch’s Gloves: a reference to the poison (digitalis) contained in foxglove flowers
The Victorian Language of Flowers
Now let’s take a closer look at additional meanings for foxglove flowers. In the Victorian Age, emotions were not easily expressed. As a result, a flower language was developed for romantic communication as well as messages between friends. In the Victorian language of flowers, foxglove flowers mean both insincerity and immortality. Again, the meaning of foxglove is mixed: both unfortunate and fortunate.
Foxglove Meaning by Color
To further complicate matters, the color of foxglove flowers can also affect their meaning. Foxglove flowers generally come in white, yellow, pink, red and purple. However, there are new hybrids that combine colors in a single flower. We’ll take a look at the traditional colors and meanings.
Foxglove Meaning by Color
As mentioned above, foxglove flowers most commonly come in white, yellow, pink, red, lavender and purple. There are now hybrids that combine colors in a single flower. Foxglove meaning is influenced by the color of the blossoms.
White flowers symbolize purity, contemplation and innocence. Many night-flowering plants are white, symbolizing the feminine energies of the moon. Use white to give breathing space in your garden from the intensity of bright colors demanding attention.
Yellow flowers are often the heralds of spring. Sunshine yellow flowers symbolize the clearing away of the winter. They also stimulate clear thinking. Yellow flowers mean enthusiasm, cheerfulness, sense of humor, fun, optimism and intellectual prowess.
Pink flowers symbolize love and healing from grief, anxiety, or emotional trauma. The color pink is related to warmth and love, gentleness, beauty, and an outward orientation. Along with purple and white, pink foxglove are among the more popular foxglove colors.
Red flowers mean pleasure, desire and vitality. In addition, red represents the will to win, love of sports and the survival instinct. Red foxglove flowers are less common than purple, white and pink. Red flowers are stimulating and eye-catching. The intensity of red flowers creates movement and drama. Accordingly, bright red flowers symbolize cheerfulness and happiness.
Lavender, purple and violet flowers carry the meanings of transformation, transmutation, and a balance between power and love. Additional meanings include charisma, charm, magical abilities, and tolerance. Purple and violet colors soothe the mind and nerves. Some color psychologists say purple helps to relieve tension and dissipate anger and violence.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCE: Read more about all flower color meanings in Flower Color Meanings.
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Growing Foxgloves
If you’d like to grown some foxglove flowers of your own, foxglove flowers thrive in soil that is rich in iron and coal. New coal fields can sometimes be located by finding masses of foxgloves growing together. Foxgloves grow well in temperate zones. They like shade, part shade and sun.
Arranging Foxglove in Your Garden
Foxglove flowers grow either through seeds or divisions of plant clumps. They do not flower the first year, but flower the second and subsequent years. Their formidable height or two to five feet makes them wonderful plants for the furthest row of a garden. Red foxglove flowers are a distinct marker in a garden among shorter or more delicately colored flowers.
Why Gardeners Love Foxglove
Foxglove plants often reseed themselves. This is also a reason for the foxglove flower meaning of immortality. They like moist soil, but also need adequate drainage. Foxgloves grow quickly and are rarely susceptible to insects. Fertilized foxglove blossoms grow larger. Foxgloves bloom in a pyramid shape with the lowest blossoms opening first and the buds remaining closed at the top.
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Kathleen Karlsen is an author, musician, artist, and composer. She has written three books (The Color-Music Connection, Flower Symbols, and Vocal Medicine) and over 200 articles. Her YouTube channel features over 600 videos. Kathleen and her family live in Bozeman, Montana, USA.
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