Foxglove

* Best seen in large; click here *[/b]

Trying to keep the backyard butterfly friendly, we 'collected' purple flowering plants as much as possible. Not too much butterflies till so far, but there are many purple colored flowers now. One of theirs is the Foxglove.

For those interested in more background on this plant, Wiki says:

"Digitalis is a genus of about 20 species of herbaceous perennials, shrubs, and biennials that are commonly called foxgloves. This genus iss placed it in the much enlarged family Plantaginaceae. This genus is native to western and south western Europe, western and central Asia, and northwestern Africa. The scientific name means "finger-like" and refers to the ease with which a flower of Digitalis purpurea can be fitted over a human fingertip. The flowers are produced on a tall spike, are tubular, and vary in colour with species, from purple to pink, white, and yellow. The best-known species is the "Common Foxglove", Digitalis purpurea. This is a biennial plant which is often grown as an ornamental plant due to its vivid flowers. These range in colour from various purple tints through various shades of light gray, and to purely white. The flowers can also possess various marks and spottings.
The first year of growth of the Common Foxglove produces only the stem with its long, basal leaves. During the second year of the plant's life, a long leafy stem from 50 to 255 centimeters tall grows atop the roots of healthy plants."

As I said, not too much butterflies yet. But what is not today maybe there tomorrow. In the meantime the flowers are beautiful to look at.

Hope you all have a happy and sunny Pentecost ... ;)


E-M5: f/1.8 : 1/320" : 45mm : ISO200