Monkshood (Aconitum napellus) by Liz

Image Copyright 2013 Liz Orr

With its stunning violet-blue hooded flowers, this is a beautiful but very poisonous plant.  The leaves, flowers and roots are highly toxic when eaten, and it can also be harmful via the skin. This plant seems to go by a surprising number of different names.

Other common names

• Adam and Eve
• Bear's foot
• Common aconite
• Common monk's cowl
• Cupid's cap
• Dumbledore's delight
• Elijah's chariot
• Flapdock
• Friar's cap
• Garden monk's hood
• Garden wolf's bane
• Grandmother's nightcap
• Helen flower
• Helen's flower
• Helmet flower
• Monk's cap
• Monkshood
• Pops
• Soldier's cap
• Turk's cap
• Venus's chariot drawn by two doves

from the Royal Horticultural Society Website
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=4361