Wolf’s bane

Wolf’s bane: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Clump of upright to slightly arching stems, 1–1.2 m tall and about 50 cm wide.

Leaves

Large and deeply cut into 5–7 toothed, finger-like lobes; dark green, mainly at the base of the plant.

Flower

Creamy to pale yellow hooded flowers of about 2 cm in loose, slender spikes, from June to August. The hood is narrow and tall, like a little tube.

Fruit

Dry pods, usually in threes, full of small dark seeds; they ripen in late summer.

Roots

A short rhizome with fibrous roots, without the small tubers of common monkshood.

Toxicity

All parts are highly poisonous, especially the roots.

Flowering: June–August · Plants: March–April and September–October · Pruning: March and September

Why grow it?

• One of the few tall summer-flowering perennials for partial and full shade, with a long flowering season from June to August.
• The creamy yellow colour lights up a dark corner and goes with white, blue and every shade of green.
• Long-tongued bumblebees reach deep into the hood for nectar: a real asset for bees in a shady garden.
• Fully hardy and long-lived: a clump can stay undisturbed in the same spot for many years.
• Lovely in a natural woodland edge, beside a pond or stream and in a border on cool, moist soil.

Wolf’s bane: where does it grow best?

• Partial or light shade is ideal; full sun only if the soil stays cool and moist.
• Humus-rich loam or clay; acid, neutral or chalky are all fine.
• Moist to wet: it dislikes drying out but is happy beside a stream or pond.
• Choose a spot away from play areas, the vegetable patch and the herb garden.
• Allow 40–50 cm between plants; it looks best in a group of three.

Light

Partial shade and shade

Soil type

Loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal or wet

Size

1.2 m tall, 0.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -35 °C)

Goes well with

• Ferns: Fresh green foliage in the same cool shade.
• Hosta: Large leaves that hide the bare lower stems.
• Goat’s beard: Creamy plumes in early summer, also for partial shade and moist soil.
• Astilbe: Pink and red plumes next to the creamy yellow hoods.
• Hardy geranium: Loose ground cover around the base.

Wolf’s bane: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and September–October.

1. Plant in March–April or September–October, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Wear gloves: even the sap from damaged roots is poisonous.
3. Dig a hole twice as wide as the pot and mix in a few spadefuls of compost or leaf mould.
4. Set the plant at the same depth as it was in the pot, firm the soil well and keep 40–50 cm between plants.
5. Water in thoroughly straight away and keep the soil moist during the first year.
6. Spread a mulch of leaf mould or shredded leaves around the base.

Care

Watering

Regularly in dry spells during the first year. After that only in dry summers, especially in a sunnier spot.

Feeding

A layer of compost or a little organic fertiliser in March; nothing more is needed.

Mulching

Leaf mould in spring keeps the soil cool and moist, as in a wood.

Support

In rich soil or deep shade the tall stems may flop. In May, push a few twiggy sticks or a plant support around the clump.

Deadheading

Cut off faded spikes if you do not want seedlings, always wearing gloves.

Moving

Not needed: leave the clump undisturbed, it gets better with age.

Tip: Place it at the back of a shady border, with lower plants in front: you see the creamy yellow flowers well, but it stays out of reach of playing children and pets. Always wear gloves when handling it.

Wolf’s bane: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and September.

When: After flowering, in September, you can cut back the faded stems. If you leave them, remove them in March, before the new shoots appear.

How:

• Cut the stems back to just above the leaves at the base, or to ground level in March.
• Always wear gloves and wash your hands and secateurs afterwards.
• Do not leave the prunings where children, pets or grazing animals can reach them.

Caution: Never prune with bare hands: the toxin can enter through the skin, especially through small cuts.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In March or September–October, lift an old clump and cut it into pieces with a sharp spade, each with buds and roots. Wear gloves.

Seed

Sow fresh seed in autumn in a pot left outdoors: it needs a cold spell and only germinates in spring. Seedlings flower after 2–3 years.

Wolf’s bane: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −35 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −35 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• The top growth dies back in autumn; in spring the plant regrows from its rhizome.
• A layer of leaf mould in autumn protects the crown and improves the soil.
• It can grow in a large pot, but then it dries out quickly; stand the pot against a wall in winter.

Diseases and pests

• Flopping stems: The tall stems lean over after rain or in too dark a spot. Support them in good time and give a little more light.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves, especially in dry weather in late summer. Water in dry spells, plant with space around and remove affected leaves.
• Brown leaf edges: A sign of drought or too much sun. Water, mulch and if necessary move the plant to a cooler spot.
• Root rot: The plant wilts and the crown turns soft in soil that is waterlogged in winter. Improve drainage with compost or plant it slightly higher.

Through the year

• March: Remove old stems. Add compost. Plant or divide.
• April: Plant. Mulch.
• May: Put supports in place.
• June: Flowering begins. Bumblebees visit the hoods.
• July: Full flower. Water in dry spells.
• August: Last flowers. Watch for powdery mildew.
• September: Cut back faded stems. Plant or divide.
• October: Plant. Leaf mould around the base.
• November: Dormant: the top growth dies back.

Edible and useful

Not edible. Monkshood is one of the most poisonous plants in Europe: all parts, especially the root, contain aconitine, which can even be absorbed through the skin. Always wear gloves when cutting back, dividing or picking the flowers, wash your hands afterwards and do not plant it where children play. Never eat it, not as a herb nor as a tea. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The name lycoctonum means ‘wolf killer’ and vulparia refers to the fox: in the past the plant was used to make poisoned bait for wolves and foxes.
• Only long-tongued bumblebees can reach the nectar deep inside the hood. Short-tongued bumblebees sometimes bite a hole in the hood to steal the nectar.
• Monkshoods are among the most poisonous plants in Europe.