Azure Monkshood (Aconitum carmichaelii)
[ak-on-EYE-tum kar-my-KEE-lee-eye]

Deciduous Perennial Upright in the Ranunculaceae Family
Spires of deep violet-blue, hooded flowers from September into October — the wild species behind cultivars like 'Arendsii' and 'Royal Flush.' Prefers moist, rich soil, part shade to sun. All parts are highly toxic; handle with gloves.

Native to China and northern Vietnam, Aconitum carmichaelii is an upright, clump-forming perennial that can reach up to 5 feet tall, with dark green, deeply lobed foliage and dense, branching spikes of hooded, deep violet-blue flowers in late summer and fall — among the last perennials to bloom each year. It is the true wild species behind several popular garden cultivars bred from it, including 'Arendsii' and 'Royal Flush.'

All plant parts are highly toxic and should be considered poisonous, containing aconitine alkaloids that can cause serious illness if ingested and can be absorbed through the skin during handling. Wear gloves when working with this plant, and site it away from children, pets, and edible gardens.

Pros

  • Rare true-blue/violet flower color, valuable in the late-season garden
  • Blooms September into October, extending color long after most perennials have finished
  • Sturdy, upright habit that typically doesn't need staking
  • Deer-resistant and attracts pollinators, including late-season bumblebees

Cons

  • All parts are highly toxic if ingested or handled without gloves
  • Needs consistently moist soil and resents drying out
  • Slow to establish and best left undisturbed once planted
Why Like In its native woodlands and streamsides across China and northern Vietnam, Aconitum carmichaelii is a valuable late-season nectar source for bumblebees, which are strong enough to force open the flower's hooded upper sepal to reach the nectar and pollen inside — a relationship few smaller pollinators can manage. Its late bloom time, well into fall, extends the local pollinator season after most other wildflowers have finished, and its toxicity to browsing mammals has helped it remain a reliably persistent presence in the woodland-edge and stream-margin habitats where it grows wild.
Highlights The wild species behind popular garden cultivars 'Arendsii' and 'Royal Flush,' this true species offers the same striking late-season violet-blue flower spikes in an unselected, straight-species form. One of the last perennials to bloom each fall.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 24 - 60 inches tall. 18 - 30 inches wide.
Growth Rate Slow
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium : Needs consistently moist soil and does not tolerate drought. Also does not tolerate prolonged waterlogging — good drainage matters as much as consistent moisture.
Zones 3a - 7b (Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags Attracts Bees, Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Pollinators, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Fall interest, Full Sun, Good for Bedding, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Medium, Medium, Native to Asia, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Pond, Potentially Toxic, Rabbit Resistant, Shade Tolerant, Showy Flowers, Slow Growth Rate, Specimen, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Well-Drained Soil, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period September to October
Flower Color Deep Violet-Blue
 

More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Pairs well with other late-season, moisture-tolerant perennials such as sedum, warm-season ornamental grasses, hardy chrysanthemums, and bugbane (Actaea/Cimicifuga ramosa) — all sharing its fall bloom window and appreciation for consistently moist soil.
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2024 : 07/02 - 09/08
2023 : 06/21 - 09/10


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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!