Aconitum napellus
Pot Size: 5.25 Inch Square Pot
The interesting deep green and glossy foliage of 'Arendsii' is complemented by violet, helmet-shaped blooms. The unique flowers make beautiful additions to bouquets. It forms upright clumps of foliage with tall sturdy stalks that hold the blossoms making it a perfect choice for the back of beds or for added height to combination planters. Named for German nurseryman Georg Arends, who developed this cultivar in the 1940s.
Uses: Bogs, Borders, Cottage Gardens, Flower Beds, Landscapes, Mass Planting, Pond Edges, Stream Edges, Woodland Gardens
Nature Attraction: Butterflies
Critter Resistance: Deer, Rabbits
Notable Features: Late-Blooming, Resists Flopping, Cut Flower, Poisonous
Growth Habit: Upright
Homeowner Growing Tips: Best in partial sun/partial shade, although full sun is fine in consistently damp soils. Grow in soil that is moisture retentive but not where it sits soggy; amend soil with compost for best results. Cut back after flowering to promote re-blooming. Slow to establish, but clumps live a long time. Divide every 3-4 years in late winter or early spring.
All parts of the plant are poisonous: wear gloves when handling!
Great fall color and the deer and rabbits don't touch them since they are poisonous. Pretty hardy and even bounced back after a drought last summer made me think that several that completely withered last summer had died, but most bounced back this spring. Impressive, but if you water regularly during dry season you will get great results.