Can you identify this plant, please?

[PrincessFiorimonde]

I have three of these tall, blueish-flowering plants in my garden. The tallest must be 7 foot high. They're in flower (and bud) at the moment, which I think is a little later than last year.

I've no idea what they are! Can anyone help?

Aconitum fischeri

Monk’s-hood, also known as Aconite. Very toxic.

Really? Oh dear.

Don’t worry. It’s only toxic if you eat it, it’s not going to creep in your window at night and strangle you.

I thought aconite preferred to use a knife?

It's a great plant, looks a bit like a delphinium but slugs don't touch it. Always wear gloves when handling it.

Yes it's Aconitum fischeri. And yes it's toxic. So are a lot of other things in the ranunculaceae, a family that includes buttercup, clematis, aquilegias, anemones, thalictrum, actea and so on. As well as lots of other common garden plants from other generi. The best way to deal with it is not to eat them. They are so tall that they're only likely to be at the back of a border and out of the way anyway.

It's also known as wolf's bane and will repel werewolves. Or attract them, but definitely one or the other. Have you seen any around?

I thought 'Oh dear' the other day because DP had just been tying the plants in. But fortunately he managed not to eat them.

We do also have foxglove and delphinium in the garden and they haven't yet crept in through the window to strangle us. I'll keep an eye out for werewolves, though.

Thanks for all replies.

Full moon on the 9th op.🌕

😂😂😂

Actually it is toxic if you brush against it too. Sadly an experienced gardener died a few years back because of this.

I have a nursery and propagate this plant and other aconitum (I grow 5 different ones) every year. They are split into many small plants to grown on, so I might handle 150 of them over a day, pulling them apart and cutting them back. And no, I know I should wear gloves, but they don't work for propagation. So, sorry, just don't believe the brushing against story,. There must have been other, freakish elements in play if it did happen.

The gardener dying is google-able, but he was working around not with the monkshood. There was no evidence he even touched it. The inquest made no finding that it was responsible for his death, it was an open verdict. His death was a tragedy but also a mystery.

Highly poisonous. Put gloves on and get rid. It’s not worth the risk of killing a pet or a child. And as pp said there have been questions raised about whether the toxins can be absorbed through the skin if you touch it.