About
Aconitum napellus subsp. napellus Anglicum Group is a clump-forming perennial that typically reaches heights of up to 1 meter. Its foliage consists of deep green leaves, each divided into 5 to 7 narrow lobes that culminate in a pointed tip. This plant produces dense racemes of hooded flowers, which bloom in late spring and early summer, showcasing a rich violet-blue hue.
About the genus
Aconitum consists of herbaceous perennials or biennials characterized by lobed foliage and clusters of hooded flowers arranged in racemes or panicles.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full shade, Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Poorly-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, East-facing, North-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
- Plant type
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 1-1.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Architectural, Cottage and informal garden, Wildlife gardens
- Toxicity
- TOXIC if eaten, avoid skin contact. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: TOXIC if eaten, avoid skin contact - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grows best in deep, cool, moisture-retentive soil in partial shade, but will also tolerate most soils and full sun if soil is humus-rich and protected with mulch to ensure that it is moist throughout the growing season; use protective gloves
- Pruning
- No pruning required except cutting back dead stems; use protective gloves
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed, sown in containers in a cold frame in spring, or by division in autumn or late winter; division every few years may encourage good flowering stems, though plants may be slow to re-establish; use protective gloves
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free but may be susceptible to aphids
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to fungal stem rot, powdery mildews, and Verticillium wilt