Aconitum, also known as aconite, monkshood, wolf's bane, leopard's bane, mousebane, women's bane, devil's helmet, Queen of all Poisons, or blue rocket, is a member ofover 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the family Ranunculaceae, most of which are extremely poisonous and must be dealt with carefully!

Aconite grows in mountain meadows in the Northern Hemisphere.

Poisoning may even occur by accidental ingestion through the skin, following picking or brushing the leaves without wearing gloves or other protection!

The name aconitum may derive from the Greek akon for dart or javelin, the tips of which were poisoned with the substance, or it may be named for Aconitus Hill, where Hercules fought Cerberus, guard dog of the Underworld. Hecate, goddess of witchcraft, is said to have pulled pulled wolfsbane out of Cerberus’ saliva.

Ancient Greek hunters dipped their arrows in aconite when hunting wolves, leading to its later reputation as a cure for lycanthropy (the transformation of a person into a wolf), or as a means of protection against werewolves.

In the Middle Ages witches were said to have mixed Aconitum with belladonna to make an hallucinatory ointment they rubbed on their body for "flying."

Beware of this very toxic and poisonous plant! 🐺