Aconitum napellus - live plant (Jupiter's helmet)

All parts of this plant are deadly if ingested, and the root is the most concentrated. The aconitine it contains passes through intact skin: simply handling the root with bare hands can cause poisoning. It is sold exclusively as an ornamental and botanical collector's plant.

• Never ingest, in any form or at any dose
• Always wear gloves to plant, divide or pull up, especially when in contact with the root
• Wash your hands thoroughly after any handling, even with gloves on
• Keep out of reach of children and pets
• Never plant it near a vegetable garden: the root looks like that of a turnip or horseradish, and fatal accidents have occurred through confusion
• In case of contact or ingestion, immediately call 15 (French emergency services) or a poison control centre

Sale restricted to adults (18 and over).

Aconitum napellus is a member of the Ranunculaceae, the buttercup and columbine family. It is a mountain perennial, found in the Alps, the Pyrenees and the Massif Central, where it grows in damp meadows and tall-herb communities.

It forms a clump of deeply cut leaves, then an upright stalk about one metre tall, bearing dark blue flowers whose shape suggests a helmet. This helmet is in fact a modified sepal, which covers the flower's organs: only bumblebees, strong enough to lift it, manage to pollinate it.

Aconite is fully hardy and needs mountain conditions: cool, rich soil, never dry, and partial shade rather than scorching full sun. It is a plant that suffers in dry, hot ground.

Plant it at the back of a border, away from paths and passing areas. Mark its position: the foliage disappears in winter, and you risk digging into it in spring without knowing what you are handling.

Aconite is the plant poison of Antiquity par excellence. Hunters smeared its sap on arrowheads and on the baits of their traps, and several ancient sources mention it among the substances used to poison an enemy's water.

Greek mythology has it born from the slaver of Cerberus, the hound of the Underworld, brought to the surface by Heracles during his labours. The Greek name akoniton, for its part, refers to a plant growing among rocks.

Medieval folklore made it a plant of black magic, said to be dreaded by werewolves, which also earned it the name wolfsbane. These stories belong to cultural history and do not indicate any use.

Can it be grown safely in the garden?
Yes, provided you handle it for what it is: an ornamental plant that you only touch with gloves on, that you plant away from the vegetable garden and from children, and whose position you mark.

Why the name Jupiter's helmet?
Because of the shape of the flower: the domed upper sepal suggests a helmet. Depending on the region, it is also called casque de Jupiter (Jupiter's helmet), char de Vénus (Venus's chariot) or tue-loup (wolfsbane).

Is it hardy in France?
Yes, completely. It is a mountain perennial that withstands harsh winters. Its difficulty is the opposite: it hates summer drought.

Does it need to be declared, or is it legal to own?
Aconite is a wild French plant, present in our mountain ranges, and commonly grown in ornamental gardens. Owning it is not regulated. It is handling it that calls for rigour.

Also worth exploring: our ritual and folklore plants and our rare plants.