Aconitum ferox -

Family:	Ranunculaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	1
Synonyms:
Range:	E. Asia - Himalayas.

Aconitum ferox () is a Perennial which grows to a height of 1m . It has a hardness rating of 6.
Aconitum ferox will flower in February to March. The flowers from this plant are and they are pollinated by Bees

Soil Information

Aconitum ferox will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Aconitum ferox prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Aconitum ferox can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Shrubberies and forest clearings, 2100 - 3600m from C. Nepal to Bhutan[51].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Works within dappled Shade

Cultivation Details

Thrives in most soils and in the light shade of trees[1]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a moist soil in sun or semi-shade[200]. Prefers a calcareous soil. Grows well in open woodlands[1, 4]. The root of this plant is widely collected from the wild for medicinal use and is becoming much rarer in much of its range[272]. Members of this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits and deer[233]. A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby species, especially legumes[54]. Closely related to A. napellus[1].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 0/5
None known

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 1/5
The dried root is alterative, anaesthetic, antiarthritic, deobstruent, diaphoretic, diuretic, sedative, stimulant[178]. It is best harvested in the autumn as soon as the plant dies down. This is a very poisonous plant and should only be used with extreme caution and under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. It has been used in India and Nepal in the treatment of neuralgia, leprosy, fevers, cholera and rheumatism[240, 272]. When the roots are soaked in cow's urine, they become soft and lose their depressant action on the heart, becoming a stimulant instead[240].

• Alterative - Causes a gradual beneficial change in the body, usually through improved nutrition and elimination, without having any marked specific action.
• Anaesthetic - Numbs the feeling in a local or general area of the body.
• Antiarthritic - Treats arthritis.
• Deobstruent - Clears obstructions from the natural ducts of the body.
• Diaphoretic - Induces perspiration.
• Diuretic - Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
• Sedative - Gently calms, reducing nervousness, distress and irritation.
• Stimulant - Excites or quickens activity of the physiological processes. Faster acting than a tonic but differing from a narcotic in that it does not give a false sense of well-being.

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[111]. The seed can be stratified and sown in spring but will then be slow to germinate[133]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer. Division - best done in spring but it can also be done in autumn[1, 111]. Another report says that division is best carried out in the autumn or late winter because the plants come into growth very early in the year[233].

Known Hazards

The whole plant is highly toxic - simple skin contact has caused numbness in some people[1, 51, 200].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
F. Chittendon.
Author: F. Chittendon.
Rating:
Publisher : Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
Date of Publication : 1951

Flowers of the Himalayas.
Polunin. O. and Stainton. A.
Author: Polunin. O. and Stainton. A.
Rating:
Publisher : A very readable and good pocket guide (if you have a very large pocket!) to many of the wild plants in the Himalayas. Gives many examples of plant uses.
Date of Publication : 1984

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