An exotic biennial herb, cultivated mainly in central and southern Europe for leaves which contain glycosides used for heart stimulation. India imports a major parts of its requirements of this drugs. The crop perfers silty-loam to clayey-loam soils, rich in organic matter and temperate climate ( 1200-2000 m above the sea-level ). The seed-rate used is 500 grammes per hectare. The nursery is raised in early spring and seedlings, when 8-10 weeks old, are transplanted, 30x45 cm to 60x60 cm apart, depending upon the soil fertility . It is an irrigated crop and makes only a moderate demand for nutrients, mainly as nitrogenous and phosphatic fertilzers. The plants flower in the second year, but the flowering stalks are removed to induce a larger leafy growth . In general, one harvest of the leaf crop is obtained in October in the first year, whereas 3 harvests of leaf crop are obtained in the second year. The average yield recorded in India in the second year is 600 kg/hs ; higher yield up to 1,500 kg are reported from elsewhere. Digitalis leaves are thermolabile and hygroscopic and therefore, should be rapidly dried at 40 C immediately after collection. They should contain 0.1% glycoside ( digoxin , digitoxin, gitoxin , etc. ) calculated as lanatocide-c and not more than 5% moisture. The leaves could be stored in the form of coarse powder in airtight containers placed in a cool and a dry place.