Monkshood

Scientific Names

Aconitum napellus L.
Ranunculaceae
Buttercup family

Common Names

Aconite
Friar’s cap
Mousebane
Wolfbane
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Description of Plant(s) and Culture

Monkshood is a European erect, clump-forming perennial plant up to 4 feet tall; the tuberous root produces an erect, simple, glabrous or slightly hairy stem with alternate, palmately 5 to 7 lobed leaves that are dark green on top and paler beneath. The hood-like, blue-purple flowers grow in long, irregular racemes from June to August. Not heat tolerant, needs full sun or partial shade.

Other varieties: Monk’s cowl (A. carmichaelii) is native to the Szechuan region of China; it is used as a narcotic and as a topical anesthetic ointment in Chinese and homeopathic medicine, but it is too powerful for the home gardener to use.

Wolfsbane (A. lycoctonum) has yellow flowers and is familiar from folktales; old superstition held that it repelled werewolves.
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Where Found

Cultivated in gardens in the United States and Canada.
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Medicinal Properties

Analgesic, anodyne, cardiotonic, febrifuge, sedative, stimulant
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Biochemical Information

Aconitine, one of the fastest acting and deadliest alkaloids known
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Legends, Myths and Stories

Various species of monkshood grow wild in North America, particularly in mountainous regions. These are similarly poisonous.

Used as a poison in hunting and war in Europe and Asia since ancient times, monkshood has acquired an extremely bad image through the ages. Its juice was used by soldiers to poison water supplies in the path of advancing enemies, and by hunters to poison spears, arrowheads, and bait.

In Greek legend, monkshood originated from the foam dripping from the fangs of the three-headed dog Cerberus that Herakles (Hercules) brought up from the underworld. Also Hecate, the Greek goddess of the moon, ghosts, witches, and magic, poisoned her father with monkshood.

In the Middle Ages witches were associated with monkshood. Since it numbs the senses and gives a sensation of flying, they are said to have smeared it on their bodies and broomsticks.

The name monkshood comes from its hood-shaped flowers.

A. napellus, monkshood, is the source of the drug aconite; it was formerly used to make a deadly poison; Shakespeare’s Romeo killed himself with a cup of it.
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Uses

Sometimes used for the pains of neuralgia, sciatica, and arthritis, gout, rheumatism, pneumonia, measles, nervous fever, and chronic skin problems.

Monkshood is among the most poisonous of plants. Small doses can cause painful death in a few hours. Do not use without medical supervision under any circumstances.
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Warning

Monkshood is among the most poisonous of plants. Small doses can cause painful death in a few hours. Do not use without medical supervision under any circumstances.
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Bibliography

Herbal Gardening, compiled by The Robison York State Herb Garden, Cornell Plantations, Matthaei Botanical Gardens of the University of Michigan, University of California Botanical Garden, Berkeley., Pantheon Books, Knopf Publishing Group, New York, 1994, first edition

The Nature Doctor, by Dr. H.C.A. Vogel; Keats Publishing, Inc., 27 Pine Street (Box 876) New Canaan, CT. 06840-0876. Copyright Verlag A. Vogel, Teufen (AR) Switzerland 1952, 1991

Webster's New World Dictionary, Third College Edition, Victoria Neufeldt, Editor in Chief, New World Dictionaries: A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., 15 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023, 1984

The Rodale Herb Book, edited by William H. Hylton, Rodale Press, Inc. Emmaus, PA, 18049., 1974