Aconitum heterophyllum
| Aconitum heterophyllum | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 5' |
| Blooms: | Late Summer-Early Fall |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Aconitum heterophyllum
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[1]. The seed can be stratified and sown in spring but will then be slow to germinate[2]. 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[3][1]. 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[4].
Cultivation: Thrives in most soils and in the light shade of trees[3]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a moist soil in sun or semi-shade[5]. Prefers a calcareous soil.
Grows well in open woodlands[3][6].
The roots of this plant are extensively collected from the wild for medicinal use and the species is becoming much rarer in many areas of its range[7].
Members of this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits and deer[4].
A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby species, especially legumes[8].
Range: E. Asia - W. Himalayas.
Habitat: Usually found on humus-rich soils in the alpine and subalpine zones, and in forests, 2300 - 2900 metres[9][10].
Edibility: Leaves and root - cooked[11]. This report should be treated with great distrust due to the poisonous nature of the genus, but see the notes above on known hazards[K].
Medicinal: The dried root is analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiperiodic, aphrodisiac, astringent, cholagogue, febrifuge and tonic[6][12]. It is used in India in the treatment of dyspepsia, diarrhoea and coughs[12][10]. It is also used in Tibetan medicine, where it is said to have a bitter taste and a cooling potency[13]. It is used to treat poisoning from scorpion or snake bites, the fevers of contagious diseases and inflammation of the intestines[13].
The root is best harvested in the autumn as soon as the plant dies down and is dried for later use[6]. This is a very poisonous plant and should only be used with extreme caution and under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.
Pollinators: Bees
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Seed Ripens: Early Fall-Mid Fall
Heavy Clay: Grows in heavy-clay soils.
Known Hazards: The whole plant is highly toxic - simple skin contact has caused numbness in some people[3]. One report says that this plant does not contain the toxic alkaloid aconitine, and so is not poisonous[6]. It does, however, still contain an intensely bitter alk
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sanders, Thomas. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge, 1926.
- ↑ Rice, Graham. Growing from Seed Volume 1. Thompson and Morgan, 1987.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Manandhar, Narayan. Plants and People of Nepal. Timber Press, 2002.
- ↑ Hatfield, Audrey. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd, 1974.
- ↑ Singh, Gurcharan and Premnath Kachroo. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1976.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Manandhar, N. Medicinal Plants of Nepal Himalaya. Department of Medicinal Plants, 1993.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Tsarong, Tsewang. Tibetan Medicinal Plants. Tibetan Medical Publications, 1994.