2 to 4 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide
Best grown as a background plant
The leaves are palmate, meaning hand shaped, with lobed “fingers” that often have toothed edges and vary in color from light to dark green.
Blooms late summer to early fall
Both deer and rabbit resistant.
Best grown in average and moist soil, but well drained.
If the soil is too rich, the plants will become leggy and if it holds too much water, the fragile roots will drown.
Perennial monkshood prefers sun, but can tolerate some shade.
The hotter the summer, the more shade it needs, but beware; the more shady the area, the more likely your monkshood plant will need staking.
Try a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade for best results.
 
 
All members of the genus Aconitum, monkshood included, are poisonous. In fact, wolfsbane, that other common name, came about from using the ground root of perennial monkshood in meaty bait to kill the once hated animals. It should never be grown within reach of children or pets and all parts of the plant are toxic, including the sap, so appreciate its beauty in the garden and not as a cut flower.
To prevent absorption through the skin, wear gloves when you are gardening around monkshood. In the case of the monkshood plant, beauty comes with a price. Please be careful.