Sichuan aconite
Aconitum carmichaeli
Family: Ranunculaceae
What it is like
A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.
Where it is found
It is a subtropical plant. It grows on the edges of forests and mountain slopes between 100-2,200 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, China, Indochina, SE Asia, Vietnam
How it is used for food
The tubers are processed then used in chicken broth. Caution: The tubers contain an alkaloid called aconitine that has to be removed by processing.
It is a cultivated plant.
Edible parts
Tubers, roots, caution
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Bai fu pian, Wuyao