Herb latin name: Aconitum septentrionale


Family: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)



Edible parts of Aconitum septentrionale:

Root - boiled. This report should be treated with great caution due to the toxic nature of the genus. Young leaves - used as a potherb. It is not poisonous according to one report but this must be treated with extreme caution.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Flowering:
May to
July

Habitat of the herb:

Forest margins and rich meadows.

Propagation of Aconitum septentrionale:

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 the herb:

Forest margins and rich meadows.

Medicinal use of Aconitum septentrionale:

None known

Known hazards of Aconitum septentrionale:

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

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.