About
Aconitum napellus subsp. vulgare is a robust perennial that can reach heights of approximately 1.7 meters. It features dark green, finely divided leaves with slender lobes. From midsummer through autumn, this plant produces unbranched spikes adorned with hooded, deep blue blooms.
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
- Partial shade
- Soil type
- Clay, Loam
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Poorly-drained
- Aspect
- North-facing, West-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
- Plant type
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 1.5-2.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.5-1 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Cottage and informal garden, Wildlife gardens, Architectural
- 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 division in autumn or late winter to maintain vigour but plants may be slow to re-establish. Use protective gloves when handling any part of the plant
- 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