Aconitum volubile
Family: Ranunculaceae
What it is like
Aconitum volubile is a PERENNIAL CLIMBER growing to 2 m (6ft) by 1 m (3ft 3in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 2. 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): 2
Where it is found
Thickets in the sub-alpine zone to 4000 metres.
E. Asia - W. China, Korea, Mongolia.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
Young leaves - dried and cooked. This report should be treated with great distrust due to the poisonous nature of the genus.
Medicine
Rating: 1
The dried root is anaesthetic. It is also used in the same ways as A. napellus, which means that it is anodyne, diaphoretic and diuretic. This is a very poisonous plant and should only be used with extreme caution and under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.
Anaesthetic: Numbs the feeling in a local or general area of the body.
Anodyne: Relieves pain, it is milder than an analgesic.
Diaphoretic: Induces perspiration.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
Thrives in most soils and in the light shade of trees, climbing through dwarf shrubs. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a moist soil in sun or semi-shade. Prefers a calcareous soil. There is some confusion over the naming of this species. A. volubilis comes from Altai in Mongolia, reports for A. volubile in Korea probably refer to A. neotortuosum. Grows well in open woodlands. A climbing plant, twining around supports. 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. This species is easier from seed than most members of the genus. 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 Climber
Hardiness:
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.