Herb: Wolfbane


Latin name: Aconitum lycoctonum vulparia


Synonyms: Aconitum vulparia


Family: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)



Medicinal use of Wolfbane:

The root is analgesic, anodyne, diaphoretic, diuretic, irritant, sedative. This is a very poisonous plant and should only be used with extreme caution and under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
100 cm
(3 1/4 foot)

Flowering:
June to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Woods and bushy places in damp shady places.

Edible parts of Wolfbane:

Some reports suggest the root is edible if cooked, but these should be treated with extreme caution due to the highly toxic nature of the plant.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. The seed can be stratified and sown in spring but will then be slow to germinate. 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. Another report says that division is best carried out in the autumn or late winter because the plants come into growth very early in the year.

Cultivation of Wolfbane:

Woods and bushy places in damp shady places.

Known hazards of Aconitum lycoctonum vulparia:

The whole plant is highly toxic - simple skin contact has caused numbness in some people.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.