Aconitum napellus aka Monkshood

Aconitum napellus, commonly known as monkshood, aconite, Venus' chariot, or wolfsbane, is a highly toxic flowering plant native to western and central Europe. It belongs to the genus Aconitum in the Ranunculaceae family. This herbaceous perennial can reach a height of 1 meter (3 ft 3 in) and has hairless stems and leaves. The rounded leaves are palmately divided into five to seven deeply lobed segments, measuring 5-10 cm (2.0-3.9 in) in diameter. The dark purple to bluish-purple flowers are narrow, oblong, and helmet-shaped, standing 1-2 cm (0.39-0.79 in) tall. While bumblebees, particularly long-tongued species, may visit the flowers without being affected by the toxins, it is important to note that A. napellus is extremely poisonous through ingestion or body contact. Despite its toxic nature, it is appreciated for its beauty, with racemes of hooded white flowers appearing in summer, usually attracting bumblebees. This lore-filled plant, also known as wolfsbane and aconite, contains the toxin aconitine and is related to delphiniums. It thrives in cool, moist soil and typically blooms in June and July.