Monkshood is a poisonous plant. Nevertheless, it delights many gardeners with its magnificent flowers. Different species have different flower colors and flowering times. Here you can find out what varieties there are and what to look for in the plant.
What varieties of monkshood are there?
Popular monkshood varieties are the blue monkshood (Aconitum napellus), garden monkshood (Aconitum x camarum), the white-flowering variants album (Aconitum napellus “Album”) and glacier ice (Aconitum napellus “glacial ice”), as well as the Yellow monkshood (Aconitum lycoctonum) and snow white (Aconitum napellus “Snow White”).
Which monkshood varieties bloom in a beautiful blue?
Especially theBlue Monkshood (Aconitum napellus) is known for the strong blue color of its flowers. This monkshood was also voted poisonous plant of the year in 2005 because of its flowers. However, there are other varieties that also attract attention with a beautiful shade of blue or blue-violet during the flowering period. These include the following:
- Garden Monkshood (Aconitum x camarum)
- Autumn monkshood (Aconitum carmichaelii)
- Loose Monkshood (Aconitum Henryi)
Which monkshood varieties bloom white?
Two popular varieties are the white-floweringMonkshood Album (Aconitum napellus “Album”) and the Monkshood Glacier Ice (Aconitum napellus “Glacier Ice”). In this case there is no blue color, which is otherwise associated with iron. But the color palette of monkshood is not yet exhausted with these two variants.
Which variants have yellow flowers?
TheYellow Monkshood(Aconitum lycoctonum) and theMonkshood Snow White (Aconitum napellus “Snow White”) are responsible for the yellowish color of their flowers known. The Snow White monkshood also grows quite tall. If the plant's needs are well served, the flower candles of this beautiful perennial can reach up to 150 centimeters in height. A flower that grows this tall quickly attracts attention. In addition, caring for monkshood in the right location is not difficult.
What names is monkshood known by?
Among botanists, monkshood is known as aconite. The plant is a member of the buttercup family. As this is one of the most poisonous plants in Europe, caution is advised. Apart from that, this plant produces beautiful flowers. The many common names by which the perennial is still known are derived from the striking appearance of the flower. These include, for example:
- Monkshood
- storm hat
- Wolfroot
Tip
Beware of poisonous plants
Note that virtually all parts of this plant are highly poisonous. Since this also applies to the leaves, you should wear protective clothing when cutting. Otherwise, the toxins can quickly enter the body via mucous membranes, wounds and even uninjured areas of skin or cause skin irritation.
