How Foxgloves Benefit Other Plants

Foxglove is a highly beneficial plant. It works with fungus, which is one of the reasons root crops grow so well near foxgloves. It also attracts animals, which helps nearby plants grow healthier.

Foxgloves help other plants grow more successfully by forming symbiotic relationships with fungus and animals.

Foxglove is a plant known for many things other than its exciting name, of which the origins are disputed. The scientific name Digitalis has originated from the observation that the blooms are thimble-shaped and sized to fit a finger.

Digitalis has been used to treat serious heart conditions, including heart failure, even though the plant itself is poisonous. Even touching the plant may cause skin irritation, and ingesting the plant in its natural form is toxic. The chemicals in foxgloves are extracted in a specific way to create a life-saving heart medication.

Not only is it a benefit for humans, but this plant also is known to be beneficial to other plants, specifically plants grown near foxgloves.

Foxgloves and Fungus

Foxgloves have a very beneficial, symbiotic relationship with a fungus. The specific fungus that foxgloves work with to not only benefit the growth of the foxglove but the growth of surrounding plants is from the phylum Glomeromycota.

This fungus will create hyphae to penetrate the roots of foxgloves. Hyphae is a long, fungal structure that grows in branches. When these hyphae penetrate the roots of foxgloves, the symbiotic relationship begins.

The fungus will share excess nutrients from the soil with the foxglove plant. The foxglove will, in turn, share its sugars with the fungus through this connection. Once the foxglove has supplied enough food to the fungus, it will spread throughout the soil in the surrounding area, benefitting any nearby plants.

Foxgloves and Animals

Animals that are beneficial to most plants are highly attracted to foxgloves. Most nectar-seeking animals will be drawn directly to this irresistible plant.

Butterflies and hummingbirds are strongly attracted to foxgloves’ nectar and recognize its bright flowers and sweet smell. These both help spread and pollinate the plants growing near foxgloves. But no living thing works better with foxgloves than bees.

Bees especially love foxglove plants. The blooms on these plants are full of both nectar and pollen. Bees will be taken in by the nectar and get a big dose of pollen at the same time.

Of course, because of this, more plants get pollinated in the area around foxglove plants, causing even more growth and spread of the surrounding plants.

Foxgloves and Surrounding Plants

This plant is known to be helpful to other plants growing nearby. Foxgloves have been specifically used to grow near root crops. Root crops that are grown near foxgloves store better and have a longer shelf life.

The foxglove plant’s symbiotic relationship with fungus is the reason behind the benefit to root crops. The fungus that works well with foxgloves is excellent for aiding in root growth for all plants.

Also, pine trees have been shown to have stimulated growth when foxgloves are planted nearby, even more so than other plants.