Aconite, Jupiter’s helm, like an army of helmsmen on the march!

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Long floral scapes rise past 3 feet, each one topped with hooded flowers of deep blue or yellow. Monk’s hood (Aconitum napellus) earns its place at the back of a border and in long-lasting bouquets; give it light shade and shelter from wind, or stake it, and it stands tall all season.

The floral scapes can grow to over 3 feet (1 meter) tall, which makes it an ideal plant to decorate the back of a flower bed.

Sowing and planting aconite

It is best to plant your aconite in early autumn for proper root development before winter and good growing back in the following spring.

If you’re planting in spring, you’ll have to water regularly after planting.

• Aconite loves all types of soil and even poor, dry soil.
• Feel free to amend it when planting with fertilizer or compost.
• It loves emplacements that receive part sun and are lightly shaded.
• Avoid spots where the wind howls through, or else, simply stake the plant.
• Keep a distance of 16 inches (40 cm) between plants.

• Propagate aconites through crown division in in spring or fall.
• Sow seeds early in spring.

Care, pruning of an aconite

Cut stems off after the blooming, this will trigger appearance of more new flowers.

For aconites, cut back to the shortest in fall and possibly protect the base of the plant in colder areas.

• The tallest aconite varieties don’t stand to the wind well if not staked.

• Wear gloves whenever you deadhead, cut back or divide an aconite, and wash your hands afterwards, since aconitine can pass through broken skin.
• When clearing a plant whose stems or roots are known to be toxic, gather and dispose of the cut material rather than leaving it within reach of children, pets or grazing livestock.

Aconite year at a glance: what to do and when

Aconite asks for very little, but each job has its moment. Here is the timing of the few tasks the plant really needs.

Beyond this short list, the only real chore is staking the tallest stems where wind is an issue.

Which monkshood to choose

Beyond the plain blue species, the monkshoods sold in British and North American nurseries differ mainly in flower colour, when they bloom and how much staking they need. The table below sets the widely grown named forms side by side.

All there is to know about aconite

Also called wolf’s bane, this plant’s name comes from Latin aconitum which means poison.

But although this plant is poisonous, it is also a cute flower that bears distinctive long floral scapes that uphold beautiful blue or yellow flowers depending on the species.

Its great height, often taller than 3 feet (1 meter), makes it a good plant to settle at the back of a flower bed where it will produce an nice bushy backdrop.

It also makes for great bouquet flowers that will keep for a long time – even a bouquet of dried flowers!

Aconite and toxicity

Aconitum napellus is the most poisonous of the aconite species, and is probably one of the most toxic plants in temperate Europe.

Simply ingesting a little bit of the plant can lead to heart problems that can cause death.

The root, that looks like a turnip, is the most toxic part of the plant.

Aconite was used by hunters for poison on the tips of their spears and arrows, and more recently was used to get rid of wolves and foxes.

• Wear waterproof gloves when dividing, planting or cutting back Aconitum (monkshood or wolfsbane, not winter aconite), because the aconitine in its sap can be absorbed through skin, especially where skin is broken.
• When handling tubers of highly toxic plants such as Aconitum (monkshood), avoid contact if you have cuts or grazes on your hands, since the poison can be absorbed through broken skin.
• Keep aconite well away from the vegetable patch, since its tuberous root has been fatally mistaken for horseradish, and even small amounts of any part of the plant can poison.