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Herbaceous Perennial

Aconitum napellus subsp. vulgare 'Albidum'

white monk's hood

Clump-forming herbaceous perennial to about 1.5m in height, with dark green, finely divided, dark green leaves with narrow leaf lobes, and unbranched spires of hooded white flowers, slightly flushed grey, from mid to late summer

Synonyms

Aconitum napellus 'Albidum'
Aconitum napellus 'Album'
see moreAconitum napellus 'Albiflorus'
Aconitum carmichaelii 'Album'
Aconitum compactum album

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Ultimate height

1–1.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Clay

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Partial shade

Aspect

North–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure

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: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Best grown in cool, moist, fertile soil in partial shade, but will tolerate most soils and full sun if soil is improved with well-rotted organic matter and mulched

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

Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
Architectural
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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