Aconitum violaceum
Family: Ranunculaceae
What it is like
Aconitum violaceum is a PERENNIAL. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in flower from August to October. The flowers are pollinated by Bees. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0
Where it is found
Shrubberies and open slopes, 3600 - 4800 metres from Pakistan to C. Nepal.
E. Asia - Himalayas.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
Root - cooked. It is eaten as a pleasant tonic. These reports should be treated with great distrust due to the poisonous nature of the genus.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 1
The entire plant is used in Tibetan medicine, it is said to have a bitter taste and a cooling potency. Antidote, anti-inflammatory and febrifuge, it is used in the treatment of snake and scorpion bites, contagious infections and inflammation of the intestines.
Antidote: Counters poisoning.
Antiinflammatory: Reduces inflammation of joints, injuries etc.
Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by the native range of the plant it should succeed outdoors in many parts of the country. It is a polymorphic species. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Thrives in most soils and in the light shade of trees. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a moist soil in sun or semi-shade. Prefers a calcareous soil. Grows well in open woodlands. Members of this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits and deer. A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby species, especially legumes.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. The seed can be stratified and sown in spring but will then be slow to germinate. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer. Division - best done in spring but it can also be done in autumn. Another report says that division is best carried out in the autumn or late winter because the plants come into growth very early in the year.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Dappled Shade;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 5-9
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
The whole plant is highly toxic - simple skin contact has caused numbness in some people. Another report suggests that the root of this species might not be toxic.