General Culture:

Best grown in moist, organically rich, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Soils must not be allowed to dry out, but need sufficient drainage to prevent wet conditions from developing. Best in full sun in cool summer climates. Appreciates some afternoon shade in the St. Louis area. Needs cool nights below 70 degrees F. to grow well, and, like the related delphiniums, will often struggle in hot St. Louis summers. Cut back stems after flowering to encourage an additional late season bloom. Although plants may be propagated by division, they are often slow to establish and are probably best left undisturbed once planted.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

This species of monkshood is an erect, tuberous-rooted perennial which features dense, terminal racemes (to 8" long) of hooded, deep purplish-blue to violet flowers atop rigid, leafy stems typically growing 2-4' tall. Commonly found in moist pastures and moist mountainous areas of Europe and Asia. Dark green leaves are deeply divided into 5-7 toothed lobes. The sepals and petals of the flowers are similarly colored, with the upper sepal developing into a large, helmet-like structure that somewhat resembles the hood worn by medieval monks, hence the common names of monkshood and helmet flower. Also sometimes commonly called wolfsbane because this plant was once used as an arrow poison and in a poison bait for killing wolves. All parts of the plant (especially the roots and seeds) are extremely poisonous. The drug aconite is made from the leaves and roots of this species and was once prescribed as a cardiac and respiratory sedative.