Also known as wolfbanes, leopard’s bane, devil’s helmet, or blue rocket, these herbaceous perennials are native to the mountainous parts of the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia, where they grow in the moist, well-drained soils of mountain meadows. They are a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes delphinium, anemone, and hellebores. Plants usually grow at least 3′ tall but may be prostrate, reclining or climbing. The leaves are dark green, and usually deeply palmately lobed or divided, with toothed margins. The flowers are usually carried in erect terminal racemes or panicles up to 8″ long from mid-summer to early fall and are blue to purple, occasionally white or yellow. Each flower is up to 1″ long and consists of five sepals and two to ten petals. One of the sepals forms a helmet-like structure that hides the two upper, larger petals with nectaries in their spurs. The remaining petals are small, reduced to scales, or non-forming.
Monkshood is easy to grow in cool, organically rich, consistently moist, well-drained soil and do not tolerate wet soil. Although they may be grown in full sun in the northern part of their range they need afternoon shade elsewhere. Plants do best when their roots are cool and moist but the majority of the leaves are exposed to sun. They do not tolerate high heat and humidity. Monkshoods are generally healthy but are susceptible to damage by a variety of fungi if grown in humid and/or overly wet conditions. Propagated is by divisions of the root or by seeds.
The derivation of the genus name, Aconitum, is disputed but may come from a Greek word ἀκόνιτον (akoniton) which may come from the Greek word ἀκόν (akon) meaning dart or javelin, the tips of which were dipped in poison.
All parts of the plant contain highly poisonous alkaloids, especially the roots. Plant away from vegetable gardens and children’s play areas.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
The environmental conditions of the Midwest have resulted in at least three native species of monkshood there although they may be native to other places too. The monkshood described here are native to at least three of the states in the Midwest.
Western Monkshood (Aconitum columbianum)
Hollow stems that are sometimes weak and reclining bear palmate leaves 2-6″ wide, usually with 3-5 deep divisions sometimes with toothed or clefted margins. Widely spaced hooded flowers are carried in simple or branched racemes and are blue, purple, white or cream-colored. Flowers attract bumblebees, hawkmoths and hummingbirds, and are good in the vase.
Alternate Name/s: Columbian monkshood
Native Range: South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Ohio as well as places in the Pacific Coast, Rocky Mountain area, Southwest, and Mid-Atlantic
Habitat: Moist forests, stream banks, bogs, wet thickets, seep areas, and subalpine meadows
Type: Perennial
Height: 1-6.5′
Bloom Time: Mid to late summer
Bloom Color: Blue, purple, white, cream
Light: Shade
Soil: Average, moderately moist, well-drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8
Photo Credit: Izabelskrats, Wikimedia Commons
Northern Blue Monkshood (Aconitum noveboracense)
Branched or simple, often prostrate stems carry palmately divided leaves with 5-7 deeply cleft or coarsely toothed, wedge-shaped lobes. The lobes are 1-3.5″ wide and sometimes have fine hairs. The hooded flowers are carried in terminal panicles or racemes and are1″ long and deep purple to lavender-blue (rarely white). This species is considered by some scholars to be a variety of western monkshood, A. columbianum.
Alternate Name/s: Northern wild monkshood, New York monkshood
Native Range: Iowa, Wisconsin and and Ohio as well as places in the Mid-Atlantic
Habitat: Shaded to partially shaded cliffs, algific talus slopes, or on cool, streamside sites.
Type: Perennial
Height: 1-4′
Bloom Time: Mid to late summer
Bloom Color: Blue
Light: Shade
Soil: Sandstone or limestone, cool, moist, well-drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-? (guesstimate based on location)
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Wild Monkshood (Aconitum uncinatum)
The slender, flexible stems may be erect or vine-like and gain support by growing on other plants. The palmate leaves are up to 6″ wide and long, and have 3-5, sometimes up to 9, lobes. The hooded flowers appear in terminal clusters and are 1″ long, and usually deep purple or purplish-blue, occasionally white. They attract pollinators including a variety of butterflies, moths and bees.
Alternate Name/s: Southern Blue monkshood
Native Range: Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio as well as places in the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and New England
Habitat: Moist to wet soils in forests along streams and in clearings
Type: Perennial
Height: 3-6′
Bloom Time: Late summer to mid fall
Bloom Color: Purple
Light: Dappled shade
Soil: Cool, humusy, consistently moist, well-drained, slightly acidic
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
The Midwest includes the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota. The area features lakes, mountains, and vast fertile plains that are the “bread basket” of the nation. The climate of the Midwest has great variations in temperatures with hot humid temperature averaging 85-95 F in summer and winter temperatures often falling below 0 F. Precipitation comes in the form of both rain and snow and varies from 43.6″/year to 18.8″/year.