Aconitum or Monkshead

Aconitums have a few common names such as monkshood, wolfsbane or devils’ helmet. They are grown for late colour, mainly blue, and where a tall perennial fits the bill. There are a few shorter growing forms and different colours including a climbing variety. The flowers have the unusual feature looking like a monk’s hood and are born up tall towers similar to foxgloves. Quite attractive green lobed leaves.

Where to Site Your Aconitum

Best suited towards the back of the border where the lower foliage can hide as, when they flower they can look slightly pass their best

How to Grow and Look after your Aconitum

They are tough plants which grow well in all soils and sun or partial shade. 
Feeding these depends on the quality of your soil, but if you start with rich soil high in organic matter and then you can side dress with organic fertiliser each spring.
Monkshood don’t require dead heading as these are late flowering the plants will just naturally die back to the ground come the first frosts.
They grow from bulbous roots which along with the leaves are quite poisonous and should be handled with gloves. Due to them being poisonous they are deer resistant and most other animals stay away from them too. The root can be cut up and used to reproduce new plants in winter if you get a growing tip above it.