Aconitum rotundifolium

Aconitum rotundifolium
(c) Ron Frumkin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ron Frumkin

At a glance

Lifecycle
Perennial (hardy)
Exposure
Full sun

Cultivation

Thrives in most soils and in the light shade of trees. Prefers a calcareous soil. Grows well in open woodlands. Members of this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits and deer. A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby species, especially legumes. Closely related to A. napellus.

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer. Division - best done in spring but it can also be done in autumn.

Edible uses

Leaves - cooked, but this report should be treated with some scepticism due to the highly toxic nature of the genus in general[K].

Habitat

Stony slopes in the alpine and sub-alpine zone.

Native range

Central Asia from Afghanistan to Tibet and eastern Russia.

Same genus