Monkshood

How can you not fall in love with a perennial that has regal blue spires? And monkshood is that plant. Relatively unknown, it deserves a lot more attention. It produces tall spikes of hooded purple, blue, white, or bicolor blooms in late summer to fall. When not in bloom, its mounds of coarsely lobed foliage look great, too.

Plants grow best in partial shade, although in cool climates they will grow well in full sun. In dense shade, plants will become floppy. All parts of monkhood are poisonous.

Monkshood dislikes hot weather, so it's usually not a great choice for gardeners in hot-summer climates.

Light:

Sun, Part Sun

Zones:

3-8

Plant Type:

Perennial

Plant Height:

2-5 feet tall

Plant Width:

1 foot wide

Flower Color:

Blue, violet, white or bicolor flowers, depending on variety

Bloom Time:

Blooms late summer to early or mid-fall, depending on variety

Landscape Uses:

Beds & Borders

Special Features:

Flowers, Cut Flowers, Deer Resistant

Top Varieties

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Arendsii monkshood

(Aconitum carmichaelii 'Arendsii') is a late bloomer with large intense blue-purple flowers. The sturdy plants normally need no staking unless grown in too much shade. It grows 4 feet tall. Zones 3-7.
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Bicolor monkshood

(Aconitum cammarum 'Bicolor') features pale lavender to violet flowers with darker purple petals below. It grows 4 feet tall. Zones 3-7.
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Monkshood

(Aconitum napellus) blooms in deep purple-blue in late summer. Plants grow to 5 feet tall. Zones 5-8.
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