Aconitum aka Aconite

Aconitum, also known as aconite, monkshood, wolfsbane, leopard's bane, devil's helmet, or blue rocket, is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the family Ranunculaceae. These compact, clump-forming, deciduous herbaceous perennials can grow up to 60cm in height. They have deeply divided, glossy dark green leaves and erect dark, almost black stems. Aconitum plants bear racemes of hooded, blue-purple flowers in late spring to early summer, and again in late summer. They are chiefly native to the mountainous parts of the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia, thriving in the moisture-retentive but well-draining soils of mountain meadows. While most Aconitum species are extremely poisonous and require careful handling, some hybrids, like the Arendsii form of Aconitum carmichaelii, have received gardening awards and are even used by florists.