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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Aconitum uncinatum (Southern blue monkshood)
Cressler, Alan

Aconitum uncinatum

Aconitum uncinatum L.

Southern Blue Monkshood, Monkshood

Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: ACUN

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Several hooded, violet-blue flowers in loose clusters atop a weak stem.

A drug made from this plant has been used to treat neuralgia and sciatica. A white-flowered southern Appalachian species, Trailing Wolfsbane (A. reclinatum), has a trailing or sometimes erect stem. New York Monkshood (A. noveboracense), a very similar, violet-blue-flowered species, occurs from New York west to Ohio, Wisconsin, and Iowa.

 

From the Image Gallery

9 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Follicle
Size Notes: Stems erect, climbing or reclining, up to about 8 feet long.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Blue , Violet
Bloom Time: Aug , Sep , Oct

Distribution

USA: AL , DC , GA , IL , IN , KY , MD , NC , NH , OH , PA , SC , TN , VA , WV
Native Distribution: Missouri northeast to Pennsylvania, south to Georgia, west to Alabama, and north to Tennessee.
Native Habitat: Low woods and damp slopes.

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FAC
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Web Reference

Webref 3 - Flora of North America (2014) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Aconitum uncinatum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Aconitum uncinatum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Aconitum uncinatum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-05-03
Research By: TWC Staff

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