Garden Monkshood (Aconite or Helmet Flower)
Aconitum napellus. RANUNCULACEAE.
Planting and Growing Garden Monkshood
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow garden monkshood in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of garden monkshood
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for garden monkshood
- Season of bloom and planting time for garden monkshood
- When, how deep, and where to plant garden monkshood
- How to plant garden monkshood
- Watering, fertilizing, care and pests or diseases of garden monkshood
- Landscape and container uses of garden monkshood
- Comments about garden monkshood and its features
Growing Garden Monkshood
Many cultivars of erect, narrow, deciduous perennial herbs, 3–4 ft. (90–120 cm) tall. Hairy, deep green, 3-lobed, deeply toothed leaves, 2–4 in. (50–100 mm) wide.
Aconitum carmichaelii and Aconitum henryi are closely related species with similar care needs.
Planting and Care Guide
Blooms
![023-flower Flower on plant logo glyph Copyright ©2020 Used under grant of license from license holder. All rights reserved by licensor.](https://i0.wp.com/grownbyyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/023-flower.jpg?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1)
Many blue, violet, helmet-shaped flowers, 1–2 in. (25–50 mm) wide, with visorlike extensions, form dense spiking clusters, to 1 ft. (30 cm) tall, in late summer–autumn.
Best Climates
![3-Conditions_006-cloud Glyph icon sun and clouds](https://i0.wp.com/grownbyyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/3-Conditions_006-cloud.jpg?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1)
Hardy. Zones 2–9. Best in cold-winter climates.
Soil Type and Fertility
![4-Soil_002-soil Glyph icon plants and soil profile. Copyright © 2019, 2020 Dolezal & Associates. Used by grant of license from copyright holder. All Rights Reserved by licensor.](https://i0.wp.com/grownbyyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/4-Soil_002-soil.jpg?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1)
Moist, well-drained soil. Fertility: Rich. 5.0–6.0 pH.
Where and How to Plant
![010S1-H1_Plant_Shrub Glyph icon planting shrub in garden landscape. Copyright © 2019, 2020 Dolezal & Associates. Used by grant of license from copyright holder. All Rights Reserved by licensor.](https://i0.wp.com/grownbyyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/010S1-H1_Plant_Shrub.png?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1)
Autumn in partial shade, 18 in. (45 cm) apart.
Proper Care
![011T2-H1_Care_Tree-2 Glyph icon gardening care, watering can and water drops](https://i0.wp.com/grownbyyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/011T2-H1_Care_Tree-2.png?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1)
Easy. Keep moist; allow soil surface to dry between waterings. Mulch the first winter in coldest regions. Stake taller plants. Propagate by division, seed.
About This Plant
![024-sprout Hands with young plant logo or glyph. Copyright ©2020 FlatIcon. All Rights Reserved. Used under license from licensor.](https://i0.wp.com/grownbyyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/024-sprout.jpg?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1)
Good choice for backgrounds, beds, borders in country, natural, woodland gardens. Good for cutting. Source of the medical drug aconite, a pain reliever. Pest and disease resistant.
Warning:
All parts of Aconitum napellus are fatally toxic if eaten. Avoid planting in any area frequented by pets or children.