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Herbaceous Perennial

Aconitum lycoctonum

wolf's bane

A tall, upright perennial to 1.5m with rounded, five- to seven-lobed, dark green leaves and sprays of usually yellow, sometimes smoky purple, hooded flowers in mid- to late summer

Other common names

badger's bane
bearbane
see morefoxbane
harebane
St Christopher's herb
wolfsbane
Christopher's herb
monk's hood

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Ultimate height

1–1.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Ranunculaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Potentially harmful: TOXIC if eaten, avoid skin contact. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: TOXIC if eaten, avoid skin contact - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Genus: Aconitum can be herbaceous perennials or biennials with lobed leaves and racemes or panicles of showy, hooded flowers
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grows best in deep, cool, moisture-retentive soil in partial shade, but will also tolerate most soils and full sun if soil is humus-rich and protected with mulch to ensure that it is moist throughout the growing season; use protective gloves

Propagation

Propagate by division in autumn or late winter to maintain vigour but plants may be slow to re-establish. Use protective gloves when handling any part of the plant

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required except cutting back dead stems; use protective gloves

Pests

Generally pest-free but may be susceptible to aphids

Diseases

May be susceptible to fungal stem rot, powdery mildews, and Verticillium wilt

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