Here are all of our Monkshoods collected together for comparison. To explore the Aconites further, try either of the buttons below.

Ranunculales – The Buttercup Order
Botanical Style Photographs

Aconitum lycoctonum ssp. neapolitanum (lamarckii)

  • Aconitum lycoctonum ssp. neapolitanum (lamarckii). WOLFSBANE. Tall stems with dense pyramids of narrow hooded flowers crowded higgledy-piggledy up the stem, each shaded ivory and green. Leaves are more palmate like a delphinium and less cut than other species. A real treasure for part shade. 5ft CAUTION – ALL PARTS OF THIS PLANT ARE POISONOUS
Aconitum lycoctonum ssp. neapolitanum (lamarckii)

Aconitum lycoctonum ssp. neapolitanum (lamarckii)

Aconitum x cammarum ‘Bicolor’

  • Aconitum x cammarum ‘Bicolor’. One of the mid-season Aconites. Stiff upright stems come from a mound of finely divided foliage, bearing branching heads of flowers in June and July. The flowers are typical of the genus being hooded with a classic ‘policeman’s helmet’. The colour is anything but typical being white, stained violet blue towards the edges. 120cm  CAUTION – ALL PARTS OF THIS PLANT ARE POISONOUS
Aconitum x cammarum 'Bicolor'

Aconitum x cammarum ‘Bicolor’

Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Spatlese’ (Wilsonii Group)

  • Beautiful large pale cobalt-blue flowers in good sized heads. The lower part of the flowers have the rounded shape reminiscent of their cousins the Delphiniums. The throat of the flower is white but quickly becomes shaded blue, the colour intensifying towards the edges. The top of the flower is cowled in a large head, the shape of a policeman’s helmet, again painted in the same rich mauve-blue. This Aconite belongs to the Wilsonii group which lends it handsome glossy foliage and well spaced flowers in elegant pyramidal heads with plenty of side shoots for a great display. (In contrast the Carmichaelii group have much denser, less branched heads). Well grown, the plants can reach 6 feet, 1.8m, and if well fed need not be staked unless the garden is quite windy. They are more perennial and reliable than their cousins the delphiniums and create a wonderful display from late Summer to erly autumn. Beautiful with late perennials like Cimicifuga (Actaea) and Eupatorium. Excellent for cutting, but treat cut ends with care. CAUTION – ALL PARTS OF THIS PLANT ARE POISONOUS

Aconitum carmichaelii 'Spatlese' (Wilsonii Group)

Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Spatlese’ (Wilsonii Group)

Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’

  • Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’ is a rare flowering treat in September. This magnificent monkshood with its dense heads of deep blue flowers on stout 5ft stems makes a real statement at a time of the year when much else is fading in the garden. The foliage is glossy dark green and attractively cut and lobed, an asset in itself. (Sun or shade) CAUTION – ALL PARTS OF THIS PLANT ARE POISONOUS
Aconitum carmichaelii 'Arendsii'

Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’

Aconitum carmichaelii ‘River Medway’

  • Aconitum carmichaelii ‘River Medway’ has  deeply incised foliage, ruby-pink on emergence, turning through pale green with cream and pink margins before turning fully green. Well branched heads of typical rich blue Monkshood flowers from September to November. Short for a carmichaelii at 60cm. For Sun or partial shade. One of the new River series.

 

Aconitum carmichaelii 'River Medway'

Aconitum carmichaelii ‘River Medway’

Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Royal Flush’

  • Beautiful upright spikes of deep clear blue hooded flowers are born in early Autumn on a shorter plant than is usual for the species at just 60cm. Whilst lovely in flower from September onwards this variety works hard for the garden, providing rich red, glossy divided foliage early in teh year from February onwards. Later in summer the foliage turns green but remains attractive through until Autumn. Although they grow well in semi-shade the blue blooms are best displayed in the Autumn sunshine. All parts of this plant are extremely poisonous.

Aconites

Aconites grow across Temperate Northern Europe to the Himalayas and have been long cultivated, in fact they were possibly amongst the first wild plants to cross the divide from plants grown for their use to those grown for ornament. Aconite can be found growing wild in Britain, but the plant was probably introduced into Britain somewhat before the 10th century. The Anglo Saxons used the name ‘thung’ a generic name for a poisonous plant.

All members of the Genus are extremely poisonous, possessing a number of harmful alkaloids, chiefly aconitine a lethal nerve poison. Because of this, one of Aconites first uses was to tip arrows used in combat. This may provide the Genus with its name; ‘Akon(tion)’ is the Greek word for dart. On account of their poisonous nature, plants should always be planted where children will not be tempted to come into contact with the plant. There are rare, but nevertheless real, cases of juice entering a wound leading to fatal consequences. However, treated with reasonable caution, aconites can provide beautiful architectural colour from early spring species through to some of the last flowers of Autumn. The most poisonous of all the Aconites is Aconitum ferox.

The Aconites will grow in sun or shade, but all prefer a rich moist soil to grow at their best. Drought is their enemy.

The flowers are specifically designed to facilitate pollination by bees, particularly bumblebees. It is the sepals that form the complex shape; the petals are within the flower. The colour of the flowers is particularly attractive to bees.

Winter Aconites should not be confused with Monkshood. They are also members of the Ranunculaceae but are in a different genus and are not poisonous. They bear the same name as the new leaves of Winter Aconites closely resemble the new leaves of Aconitum napellus.

Alternnative derivations of the name Aconite may be from the Greek ‘akone’ = rocky, from the places the plant grew or from ‘Aconae’ a place Pliny considered it originated.

Their long history has led to a variety of colourful common names such as Monkshood, Wolf’s Bane, Granny’s Nightcap, Auld Wife’s Huid, Captain over the Garden, Blue Rocket, Helmet flower and Friars Cap