Don't Play with this Plant!

Why?

This is Aconite, Monkshood, Wolfbane, Devils Helmet, call it what you like but, if you have it in the garden take care. A member of the Buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, it contains large quantities of an alkaloid, pseudaconitine, which is a deadly poison. The plant is one of the most poisonous known to man! Death, after absorption of the toxin, can follow in as little as a couple of hours.

Although it is used in China and India as a medicinal plant, after neutralizing toxins, for us at home, it's not just the few grams of root that guarantee death but, the toxin is also easily absorbed through the skin from the petals, leaves and sap causing extremely severe symptoms and often loss of life. Known as the assassin's plant of choice, many people have died accidentally or on purpose after an encounter with this plant.

There are over 250 species, many of which garden centres are happy to sell to anyone without hint of a warning! There are articles that talk of scaremongering but it is also true that those who die don't have time to tell you their side of story!

I keep my Monkshood in a cordoned off area , away from where friends, children and animals can get hold of it. As beautiful as it is, I personally avoid using the blooms as cut flowers