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Jun 15, 2009 
My walk around Pittsburgh led me to this beautiful, but highly poisonous plant:
foxglove
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is a highly toxic plant which can be deadly. It is used today in the pharmaceutical industry, to make Digitalis, a medication that treats heart disease. The plant contains high levels of glycosides, which effect the heart, but can also be deadly. (Source: Peterson Field Guides; Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants.)
foxglove
Foxglove is usually a cultivated ornamental, but can escape from gardens and be found growing in the wild. It is a biennial plant, and the first year it is just a basal rosette of leaves, which have been mistaken for comfrey (Symphytum officinale), and that is when deadly mistakes have been made:
foxglove leaves
comfrey leaves
The flowers of foxglove and comfrey are quite different. Once it flowers, it is much easier to distinguish the plants:
foxglove flowers
comfrey flowers
Have fun, stay safe!
~ Melissa
