Aconitum rotundifolium

Aconitum rotundifolium belongs to the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. It is a perennial, a plant that lives for years. Its native range runs east from Afghanistan to Xinjiang. It also grows in the western and central Himalaya. Kew places it in subalpine or subarctic climates. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. In the wild, it grows on stony alpine and subalpine slopes. Records also place it in alpine grasslands in Tibet.

The plant grows about 1.6 feet [0.5 metres] tall. Kew calls it a perennial or tuberous geophyte. The latter term means a plant with tubers below ground. It blooms from July to August, and bees pollinate its flowers. The supplied species sources give no flower colour or fruit details. They also give no clear account of leaf shape. These gaps leave parts of its looks unknown.

In gardens, it likes moist soil and sun or part shade. Light shade under trees is one place it can grow. PFAF also lists woodland gardens where light filters through leaves. It accepts sand, loam and clay soils, even heavy clay. Its soil pH range runs from mildly acid to mildly alkaline. PFAF notes that it prefers soil rich in lime. Its mountain roots do not show how much garden cold it withstands. The sources give no USDA zone or UK hardiness grade.

Grow more plants from seed or by dividing them. PFAF says to sow fresh, ripe seed in a cold frame. You can also sow in spring after cold treatment. Seed treated this way may take longer to sprout. Move young seedlings to their own pots once large enough. Keep them in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer. Reports differ on when to divide plants that have settled in. They suggest spring, autumn or late winter. PFAF warns that plants growing near it may grow less well. It names legumes as plants that may suffer.

Treat this plant as a hazard despite a conflicting food report. PFAF warns that all parts are highly poisonous. It says skin contact has caused numbness in some people. The same source lists cooked leaves as a reported food. Yet it doubts the claim that this species is non-toxic. That doubtful report does not mean it is safe to eat. PFAF lists no known uses as medicine or other practical uses. It records no risk of the plant becoming a weed.