Plant Data
Sheet
Species (common name,
Latin name) Columbia monkshood,
Aconitum columbianum.
Climate,
elevation In the Lowlands to
Subalpine zone.
Local occurrence (where,
how common) Monkshood is common on
the eastern slopes of the Cascades.
The plant is present in the Cascades, but not in the
Olympics.
Habitat preferences
Along
streams, near springs, seepages, in moist woods (in dappled shade) and wet
meadows.
Plant strategy
type/successional stage (stress-tolerator, competitor, weedy/colonizer, seral,
late successional)
May be collected as:
(seed, layered, divisions, etc.) Collect as seed, sow in
mid-summer. Divisions can be collected and planted in the spring or fall.
Collection restrictions
or guidelines - Roots, leaves and sometimes flowers contain violent
poisons! The whole plant is highly toxic.
Skin contact can cause numbness in some people.
Seed germination (needs
dormancy breaking?) - Sow outside
during the late fall or early winter for germination the following spring. Start
indoors if you plan to plant in spring.
To sow inside, place seeds in water or moistened soil and freeze for
three weeks. Germinate at cool temperatures between 55 and 60 degrees. The seeds
are best sown as soon as they are ripe in a cold frame.
Seed life (can be stored,
short shelf-life, long shelf-life) The seed life is very short for
monkshood. Plant as soon as they
are ripe.
Propagation
recommendations (plant seeds, vegetative parts, cuttings,
etc.)
The preferred method of
propagation is by seed (seed depth: 1/8
"), but it
may be propagated with divisions of the thickened, tuberous roots. Sow seed just before or when ripe (otherwise there
will be a long dormancy that is difficult to break). For division, separate roots in late
fall or early spring.
Soil or medium
requirements (inoculum necessary?) Monkshood can grow in soil ranging from light (sandy)
to heavy (clay), as long as the soil is moist. The plant grows in acid, neutral
and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no
shade. In
soils rich in organic matter, extra fertilizer isn't usually necessary. In other
soils, use a general-purpose fertilizer in spring. 2- to 3-inch-deep layer of
mulch around the plants is beneficial, especially in warm-summer or dry areas.
This layer of mulch helps conserve soil moisture and prevents the soil
temperature from becoming too warm.
Installation form (form, potential for successful
outcomes, cost) If you choose to
sow seeds, do so in autumn, as soon as
they are ripe. The seeds should germinate in the spring, though it can take more
than a year after sowing. It generally takes several years for the plants to
flower from seed. To install divisions, divide large clumps in spring or autumn.
It may take the plants some time to recover from division as they resent
disturbance. Transplanting monkshoods can prevent them from flowering for a year
or two.
Recommended planting density
Space seeds 1" apart. They should emerge in 30 days. When the plants are 1 tall, thin to 15
inches apart.
Care requirements after installed (water weekly, water
once etc.) - Moisture: Keep the soil moist, but not wet. Cut down dead
stalks in autumn after they freeze or in early spring before the plants begin to
grow.
http://www.pfaf.org/
National
Home Gardening Club. 2003.
http://www.gardeningclub.com/document.asp?dID=2433
Northwest Habitat Institute.
2003. Interactive Biodiversity Information System
http://www.nwhi.org/ibis/queries/wildhabs/WHDF_H25.asp
Data compiled by (student
name and date) Daniela Shebitz April 23,
2003