Rehmannia glutinosa aka Chinese Foxglove

Rehmannia glutinosa, also known as shēng dì huáng in traditional Chinese medicine, is a unique flowering plant. It is one of the essential herbs used in Chinese medicine and is often sold as gān dì huáng. Unlike most broomrapes, R. glutinosa is not parasitic and can perform independent photosynthesis. This half-hardy perennial grows up to 30cm tall and forms a basal rosette of sticky, coarsely-toothed leaves. It also sends out slender runners. From late spring to early summer, it produces pendent, tubular two-lipped flowers that are reddish-brown with pale pink lips and purple markings in the throat. These flowers can be found in small clusters or singly in the axils of leafy flowering stems. The leaves, stems, and flowers are covered in fine downy hairs. Another name for Rehmannia glutinosa is Chinese Foxglove, which is an upright perennial with tall flowering stalks. Its nodding, bright rose trumpet-shaped flowers, resembling Mimulus or Foxgloves, bloom abundantly from mid-spring to fall in mild winter climates.