Dazzling but deadly Aconitum
The brilliant blooms of the so-called ‘Queen of Poisons’ really are to die for, but if you handle with care then monkshood is sure to delight in your garden, says Hazel Sillver
LACED with poison and resembling a hooded head, the indigo flowers of aconitum (monkshood or wolf’s bane) are frighteningly beautiful. But their danger doesn’t deter many gardeners, offset as it is by the fact that they’re easy to grow, rarely need staking and hardly ever succumb to pests and diseases. Useful perennials, they provide colour and drama in the autumn garden, their lavender-blue spires pairing well with plants such as asters and grasses.
Another common name for monkshood is ‘queen of poisons’, socalled because it contains aconitine
– a neurotoxin and cardiotoxin used to deadly effect in the ancient world. Some postulate that Socrates and Alexander the Great were murdered with it, while the Chinese used it to poison arrowheads for warfare. However, it’s most common use was protecting sheep: farmers dipped their arrows in aconitine before taking aim at hungry wolves.
Position with care
The poison is primarily found in the roots and tubers, but it is present in every part of the plant, so those with dogs and children ought to plant monkshood at the back of a border, well out of reach. Mild toxicity is possible with skin contact – it’s a good idea to wear long sleeves and gloves when handling it.
There are more than 250 Aconitum species – often found growing wild in the mountain meadows of the Northern
Hemisphere – as well as many garden hybrids. The majority are purple-blue, but white, pale yellow, pink and grey
forms are also available.
Monkshood flower at different times, from May to November. Summerflowering varieties can be planted now, among them the cream ‘Ivorine’, which has unusual slender blooms, and ‘Schneewittchen’ (white) and ‘Rubellum’ (pink), both of which suit cottage gardens. There is also a climbing form, Aconitum hemsleyanum, which has lilac hoods.
Arguably the best to grow are the autumn-blooming aconitums. In flower