An excellent long blooming perennial that bears loads of helmet shaped blooms on tall flower spikes.  Despite the beauty of this stately garden perennial - Aconitum is rarely found in even the best of perennial gardens.  The reason not being that it is hard to grow but that it can be hard to find.  Monkshood ranges in heights from 2 feet up to 6 feet depending on the variety.  Younger plants will require some staking. They are realitive easy to grow requiring a good soil with plenty of organic matter and will do just fine in partial shade or full sun.  They will need a little help from you during dry spells but will rot if planted in area that has poor drainage.  Aconitum is a great substitute for gardeners who have trouble with Delphiniums.

Zones: 4 - 8
Propagation: lift and divide once every three years
Problems: Root Rot - will not tolerate poor drainage
Cutting: Very nice cut flower with good vase life
Notes: mulch to help soil retain moisture and keep roots cool

Growing Aconitum from seed:
Germinating from seed can be tricky.  Seed will require freezing for 2 weeks.   Germinates best at soil temperatures of 58-60F. Cover very lightly with vermiculite as light helps break the seeds dormancy.  Germination time can  vary widely and can take up to 25 - 30 days.

Our Aconitum varieties:
(a-ko-ny' tum)

Bicolor

Napellus

Eleanor