Perennial aconite flower: cultivation and care, types and varieties, where it grows

The aconite plant belongs to the category of extremely poisonous perennials. Despite this, the flower has decorative value and is used in folk medicine in minimal dosages.

Description of the plant aconite

Aconite is a whole genus of poisonous herbaceous plants from the Buttercup family. The flower is characterized by straight stems and rounded, palmate, strongly dissected leaves of a rich green hue.The perennial grows to an average height of 60 cm.

The tallest specimens of aconite can reach 2 m

As can be seen from the photo and description of the aconite flower, the plant bears large apical racemes consisting of bell-shaped buds, similar to overhanging helmets or hoods. The color can be blue, violet, lilac, as well as white or yellow. Aconite blooms in the second half of summer and can bloom until autumn.

What is the difference between aconite and wrestler

Fighter is the second name for aconite. There is no difference between the concepts. The plant can also be found under the names skullcap, lumbago grass and wolf root, but much less frequently.

Where does aconite grow?

Aconite is widely distributed throughout the world. It can be found in North America and Central Asia, Europe and Tibet, Mongolia and Pakistan. In Russia it grows in Western Siberia and Altai, in the forest zone of the middle zone. The fighter is very hardy; some species are found even in the Arctic climate.

Types and varieties

The aconite plant in the Northern Hemisphere is represented by several hundred species, 75 of which can be found in Russia. It is useful to familiarize yourself with the most common varieties of grapple.

Altaic

Altai aconite (Aconitum altaicum) reaches an average height of 1.5 m. The plant has shiny green dissected leaves and bears dark blue buds collected in large inflorescences. The wrestler blooms at the end of June or beginning of July and remains decorative for about 20 days.

The Altai species of aconite can re-bloom in early autumn

Curly

Climbing aconite (Aconitum volubile) has a thin twisted stem about 2 m long. It is a climbing species and can entwine not only supports, but also neighboring plants in the garden.It grows most abundantly in the south of Siberia and the Far East. The dark blue buds of the wrestler are represented by very large inflorescences - up to 100 cm in length.

Curly aconite blooms at the end of July and can remain decorative for about 45 days

Klobuchkovy

Cowl or blue aconite (Aconitum napellus) bears deep azure flowers shaped like a monk's cowl. The plant grows in height by an average of 1.5 m and enters its decorative period in July.

Clopus aconite is especially widespread in the middle zone

Fisher's aconite

Fischer's aconite (Aconitum fischeri) grows mainly in the Far East in deciduous and mixed forests. The plant usually grows up to 1.6 m, and from July it bears bright blue, sometimes white buds.

Fisher's aconite blooms until October

Motley

Variegated aconite (Aconitum variegatum) is common in the European part of Russia. It is a tuberous plant with dense dissected leaves, blooms from mid-July. The buds of this type of fighter are blue or dark blue, up to 2 cm wide.

Variegated aconite has been cultivated since 1584

Bearded

Bearded aconite (Aconitum barbatum) rises approximately 1.2 m above the ground. The stems of the plant are straight, slightly pubescent, the leaves are cut into narrow slices to the base. In mid-summer, the wrestler bears sulfur-yellow buds.

Bearded aconite grows mainly in the Far East and Siberia

High

Tall aconite (Aconitum septentrionale) is capable of rising up to 2 m on a thick stem. It blooms in mid-summer at standard times and is widespread in the middle zone. The flowers of this species of fighter are purple in color.

Tall aconite is actively bred as a cultivated plant

Dzungarian

Dzungarian aconite (Aconitum soongaricum) is widespread in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. It grows up to 1.3 m, the stem of the wrestler is straight and strong, with pronounced pubescence. Photos and descriptions of the aconite plant indicate that in the second half of summer the species bears large blue-violet buds up to 4 cm long.

Dzungarian aconite can be found exclusively on the northern slopes of the mountains, on moist soils

Antidotal

Antivenom aconite (Aconitum anthora) is a perennial up to 1 m tall. The leaves of the plant are ovate, repeatedly dissected, the flowers are yellow and large. The species is very decorative; its characteristic feature is good survival rate after transplantation in adulthood.

The antivenom fighter is also called anthoroid

Dubravny

Oak monkshood (Aconitum nemorosum) grows exclusively in chernozem regions on steppe slopes and in deciduous forests. The flowers of the species are pale yellow and appear in July and August. The plant rises no more than 60 cm.

Even on nutritious, moist soils, oak aconite grows very slowly

Northern

Northern aconite (Aconitum excelsum) is found in European Russia and cold regions, mainly in forests. The flowers of the plant are purple or whitish, sometimes white. The decorative period begins at the usual time - in mid-summer.

The height of the northern wrestler can reach 2.5 m

Baikal

Baikal aconite (Aconitum baicalense) has a dense, straight stem and green, hairless leaves, cut into five parts.The wrestler blooms in loose clusters consisting of dark purple buds only about 1.5 cm long. The plant blooms in July.

The Baikal aconite plant rises up to 1 m above the ground

Arcuate

Arc-shaped or sinuous aconite (Aconitum arcuatum) is found mainly in the forests of the Far East. It is a liana-like plant up to 2.5 m tall and is popular in cultural cultivation. The wrestler blooms from the beginning of August with dark blue buds.

Arc-shaped aconite is able to maintain an attractive appearance in the garden until frost

Caution: aconite is a poisonous plant

The wrestler is very poisonous. It contains numerous alkaloids and acids hazardous to human health, aconitine and hypoaconitine, coumarins and tannins. Severe aconite poisoning can be fatal in just 20 minutes, so the plant must be handled with great care.

All types of fighter are poisonous to one degree or another - there are no varieties that are safe for animals and humans. Among the most toxic are:

• Djungarian;
• Fisher;
• Baikal;
• bearded;
• northern;
• Korean;
• curly;
• Amur

It is believed that European plant species and ornamental varieties of borax contain less toxic substances than wild perennials from the southern and eastern regions. However, they still remain very dangerous for humans

When working with aconite, you should only wear thick gloves; it is advisable to protect your eyes and respiratory organs. It is strictly forbidden to touch your face after contact with the plant juice. Upon completion of work, hands should be washed thoroughly with soap.

Aconite in landscape design

Despite the toxicity of aconite, gardeners greatly appreciate its attractive appearance.A tall plant with large buds and long-lasting flowering attracts attention and decorates almost any area.

In landscape design, aconite is used:

• for decorating fences and gazebos;
  
  

  Tall aconite enlivens the space around fences and walls

• to create contrast in flower arrangements;
  
  

  Aconite looks great in single and group plantings

• for decorating empty areas.
  
  

  Aconite can be planted in the far corner of the garden, where it will not interfere and will enliven the space

Aconite goes well with other perennial plants - daylilies, daisies, irises and peonies.

Features of aconite reproduction

The fighter plant is propagated in several ways:

1. Dividing the bush. The procedure is carried out for adult specimens approximately every four years. In the process, the plant is dug up and the rhizome is cut with a sharpened shovel, leaving at least three growth buds on each section. Then the seedling is transferred to a previously prepared hole, sprinkled with soil, mulched and watered.
2. By cuttings. In mid-May, several shoots about 15 cm long are cut into an adult wrestler and germinated in a mini-greenhouse. After the first leaves appear, aconite is transferred to open ground.
3. Seeds. The fighter plant is sown directly into the soil in the fall for natural stratification. The planting material is sprinkled with a layer of manure on top for insulation. In the spring, after the snow melts and the earth warms up, young aconite will give its first shoots.
4. Tubers. When propagating using this method, it is necessary to germinate the planting material at home or in a greenhouse to several buds, and then transfer it to the ground.

The seed method of breeding the wrestler is used relatively rarely.It is inconvenient to cultivate varietal plants with its help, since the unique characteristics are usually not preserved.

Aconite easily lends itself to vegetative propagation and quickly takes root

Planting and caring for aconite in open ground

Fighter is a fairly hardy plant. It is suitable for cultivation in the middle zone, in the north and in the southern regions.

Deadlines

For seed propagation, the aconite plant is planted in open ground in the fall a few weeks before the cold weather. You can transfer divisions or cuttings of the fighter into the ground throughout the growing season, but it is best to do this in the spring or until mid-October.

Site and soil preparation

The fighter plant feels equally good in sunny areas and in partial shade, and can grow, including under large trees or near the walls of buildings. The main attention should be paid to the soil, it should be aerated and nutritious, sufficiently moist, but not swampy.

A few days before planting aconite, you need to dig a hole approximately twice the size of the tuber or root system of the plant. Poor soils are enriched with compost or humus, and heavy and clayey soils are diluted with pebbles and crushed stone. The hole is filled halfway with a mixture consisting of garden soil, peat and sand in equal quantities, and 20 g of complex mineral fertilizers for the wrestler are also added.

Landing algorithm

Planting aconite is not particularly difficult. Tubers of a plant with a large bud and roots, sprouted cuttings or divisions are lowered into the prepared hole and sprinkled with soil residues. There is no need to deepen the wrestler too much, otherwise it will be difficult for him to develop. When planting cuttings and divisions, it is important to ensure that the root collar does not go underground.

The soil at the roots of aconite can be mulched with straw

Immediately after planting, the plant is watered abundantly. Between individual specimens it is necessary to leave gaps of at least 20 cm.

Watering and fertilizing schedule

Despite the unpretentiousness and endurance of the fighter plant, for good flowering it needs regular feeding:

1. For the first time, fertilizers are applied in the spring at the beginning of the growing season - the perennial is watered with an infusion of bird droppings or mullein for rapid growth.
2. The second feeding of the plant with nitroammophos is carried out when buds appear.
3. For the third and fourth time, the wrestler is fertilized during the summer with potassium and phosphorus in dry form.

The interval between feedings should be about 25 days. It is not recommended to use ash for aconite; it reduces the acidity of the soil, and this is undesirable for the plant.

As for watering, the fighter is moistened as needed, on average twice a month in dry weather. The plant should not be flooded; the soil should remain well ventilated.

Weeding and loosening

After each watering, the soil under the wrestler plant must be loosened. Otherwise, the surface layer of soil will turn into a crust, which will prevent oxygen from reaching the root system. It is recommended to weed the soil at least once a month to remove weeds; they take away nutrients and moisture from aconite.

Wintering

Most types of aconite plants tolerate winter cold well, but the perennial still needs to be insulated. With the onset of frost, the grass is cut almost flush with the ground, after which it is covered with a layer of peat of about 10 cm. Spruce branches or fallen leaves are additionally laid on top.

Diseases and pests

Some fungal diseases pose a danger to the wrestler. Among them:

• powdery mildew - the fungus leads to rapid withering of the plant;
  
  

  When affected by powdery mildew, the stems and leaves become covered with a whitish coating

• ring mosaic — a viral disease is spread mainly by aphids and cannot be treated;
  
  

  With mosaic viruses, plant leaves become covered with yellow or brownish patterns and spots

• greening of flowers — another virus deforms aconite buds and changes their color.
  
  

  With viral greening, even blue aconite turns greenish-yellow and white

Fungal diseases of the fighter plant are well eliminated by the fungicides Skor and Fundazol, as well as solutions of potassium permanganate and garlic. With incurable viruses, it is important to think about healthy neighboring plantings; it is for this reason that the affected specimens are urgently burned.

The aconite plant in the garden can also suffer from pests. The greatest danger is posed by:

• aphid - small insects reproduce in large colonies and can quickly be destroyed by the fighter;
  
  

  Aphids feed on the sap of aconite flowers and leaves

• nematodes - small worms usually infect the root system of the plant, and then cause deformation of the stems and leaves.
  
  

  Nematodes are dangerous because they can be recognized in the first stages

Special drugs can eliminate parasites - Aktara, Phosfamide, Condifor and others. If the plant is slightly infected, you can use a homemade soap solution.

Composition and value of the plant

Aconite contains not only dangerous toxins, but also useful elements, this is due to its medical value. In particular, the fighter plant contains:

• tannins and saponins;
• coumarins and resins;
• fumaric, benzoic and citric acids;
• daucosterol and mesainodizole;
• chromium, selenium, lead and barium;
• oleic and myristic acids;
• inositol;
• stearic acid;
• potassium and chromium;
• Sahara;
• alkaloids;
• zinc and copper;
• flavonoids;
• starch;
• boron and nickel;
• vitamin C;
• magnesium and iron.

When used carefully in tiny dosages, the medicinal properties of wrestler, or aconite, can help with many diseases.

Medicinal properties of the herb aconite

Thanks to its rich chemical composition, the plant has numerous healing properties. In particular, grass:

• fights bacterial processes and reduces fever;
• helps with inflammation;
• has a calming effect during stress;
• promotes expectoration;
• stops bleeding and helps with diarrhea;
• serves as a good diuretic.

The plant contains natural hormones, so it can be consumed if there is a lack of estrogen.

Aconite is known as a strong natural pain reliever

The use of aconite in folk medicine

Poisonous aconite is used for medicinal purposes in both folk and official medicine. It is used mainly externally; in some cases, internal use of drugs is allowed. The plant brings benefits when:

• purulent infections and skin parasites;
• nervous system disorders;
• diseases of the joints and spine;
• abscesses;
• neuralgia and rheumatism;
• syphilis;
• oncological tumors.

Recipes

Traditional medicine offers recipes for several effective remedies based on aconite. Each of them retains a maximum of valuable substances.

Decoction

An aqueous decoction of the wrestler plant is prepared according to the following recipe:

• a small spoon of dry root is poured into 250 ml of boiling water;
• Keep in a water bath for 15 minutes;
• cool under the lid for 45 minutes;
• filtered.

You need to take a small spoonful of the product on an empty stomach three times a day. The plant-based product can be stored for no longer than three days, even in the refrigerator.

The roots of aconite contain the maximum amount of valuable substances

Tinctures

There are two main recipes for preparing an alcohol tincture of the aconite plant. For external use, make the following:

• 50 g of dry roots are poured with 250 ml of vodka;
• leave under the lid for 14 days;
• pass through cheesecloth to remove sediment.

The finished product from the wrestler should have the dark brown color of strongly brewed tea. A tincture of the plant is used for rubbing against rheumatism, tuberculosis and muscle pain. You can use no more than 15 ml of the product for application to the skin, and in the presence of heart ailments - only 5 ml.

Alcohol tincture of wrestler helps with arthrosis

If the plant tincture is to be taken internally, use a different recipe:

• 10 g of aconite root is poured into a glass of vodka;
• leave in a dark place for a week, shaking from time to time;
• filter through cheesecloth.

Take this remedy just a drop up to three times a day; the healing fighter must be diluted in 50 ml of water.

Ointment

For joint ailments, headaches and myalgia, homemade ointment based on the aconite plant helps. They do it like this:

• 10 g of fresh beetroot root is crushed and 100 ml of vinegar is poured into a container with a narrow neck;
• place in a water bath and evaporate over low heat until the liquid darkens;
• add 50 ml of vegetable oil to the mixture and leave on the stove for another hour.

After this, the product must be cooled at room temperature and filtered.

Ointment based on the wrestler plant is rubbed into the skin in an amount of no more than 10 g at a time

Rules of application

Medicines made from aconite are used for joint ailments, colds and cancer. In each case, traditional medicine offers separate treatment regimens.

Tincture of aconite for leukemia

For complex therapy of leukemia, an alcohol tincture of a poisonous plant is prepared - a small spoon of crushed dry root is poured into 250 ml of vodka and kept in the dark for two weeks. The treatment algorithm for a wrestler looks like this:

• on the first day, dilute a drop of the product in 50 ml of water and take it three times a day on an empty stomach;
• on the second and subsequent days, add another drop of plant tincture to the same amount of liquid;
• upon reaching ten drops, stop increasing the dosage and take the medicine in a constant volume for ten days;
• then they begin to gradually reduce the amount of alcohol, also one drop per day.

When the dosage again reaches a drop of wrestler tincture diluted in 50 ml of water, you will need to take a month's break. After this, the course is repeated, and a total of seven cycles of treatment must be completed.

Aconite for colds

For ARVI and influenza, and especially with a sharp increase in temperature, some time after eating you need to take two small spoons of a regular decoction of the plant. It is best to do this before going to bed, in which case the fever will noticeably decrease the next morning. Treatment should be continued until the high fever disappears completely.

Tincture of aconite for rheumatism

When exacerbating rheumatism, the following remedy is beneficial:

• 100 g of grapple root is poured into 1 liter of vodka;
• leave in a warm and dark place for three days, shaking occasionally;
• After the expiration date, filter the darkened liquid.

Apply tincture of the wrestler plant externally for rubbing. After the procedure, the affected joints are wrapped in a woolen cloth and go to bed, and in the morning the bandage is removed and the affected area is treated with a cloth soaked in cool water. In total, therapy should be continued for at least a month.

Rub the wrestler tincture into the skin until completely absorbed.

Symptoms of poisoning and first aid

Even with careful use of aconite according to recipes, an overdose of the plant cannot be ruled out. You can recognize it by the following signs:

• excessive salivation;
• sudden redness of the skin, which quickly gives way to severe pallor;
• photophobia;
• nausea, vomiting and diarrhea;
• pain in the abdomen and in the heart area;
• numbness of the skin;
• shortness of breath and difficulty urinating.

Such signs appear on average 1.5-2 hours after an overdose of a wrestler. If you are poisoned by the wolfsbane plant, you must immediately induce repeated vomiting until the stomach is completely empty. At the same time, you should drink more clean water, and it is useful to take activated charcoal. But the use of drugs to stop nausea and diarrhea is strictly prohibited.

Restrictions and contraindications

In some conditions, decoctions and tinctures of the aconite plant cannot be taken in principle, either internally or externally. Contraindications for a wrestler include:

• pregnancy and lactation;
• individual allergy to the plant;
• hypertension or hypotension;
• chronic liver diseases;
• renal failure;
• acute infectious diseases;
• severe cardiovascular diseases;
• addiction to alcohol and drugs;
• mental illness and disruptions in the nervous system.

The use of plant-based products is prohibited for children under 18 years of age.

Collection and procurement of raw materials

The roots of the wrestler are collected between August and October. Using a shovel, dig up the whole plant, separate the tubers along with thin feeding shoots and wash them in cool water. After this, the raw materials are dried in a well-ventilated area or under a canopy until the moisture has completely evaporated.

All tools and surfaces must be thoroughly washed after drying the wrestler.

Leaves and flowers are harvested in June and July. The green parts are cut off with a sharp knife, sorted and also dried in fresh air away from direct sunlight. When working with the plant, the wrestler uses gloves.

Aconite should be stored in a glass container in the dark and cool, out of the reach of children and animals. The shelf life of raw materials is two years.

Conclusion

The aconite plant is very poisonous, but when used correctly it benefits the body. When using the fighter, it is important to observe tiny dosages and strictly follow proven recipes.

Recommended Posts

Arends' aconite (Aconitum carmichaelii Arendsii): photo and description

Monkshood cap: photo and description, varieties

Northern aconite (fighter): photo and description, application

Curly aconite: photo and description

Aconite (fighter) white-mouthed: photo and description, application

Fisher's aconite: photo and description

How to properly store dahlias after digging

Black cohosh simple Brunette

White chrysanthemums: photos and descriptions of varieties