Monkshood (Aconitum napellus) is a Halloween Horror!
There are numerous species in the genus Aconitum found across the northern hemisphere in mountain meadows.
They have a long and storied history and have been known by many names. Names like Devilās Helmet,Ā Mousebane, Wolfsbane, Leopardās Bane, Womenās Bane and Queen of all Poisons.
Did you knowĀ ābaneā comes from old Germanic for DEATH? Later on it came to refer to stuff like poison and it turns out Monkshood is a great, big, horrible poison, capable of killing people within hours by interfering with the rhythm of their beating heart.
Some say it grew from the spittle of Cerberus, guard dog of the Underworld. Others say it was discovered by Hecate, probably the Halloweeniest goddess of them all.
Either way, Monkshood has been used to hunt animals, assassinate Caesars and commit murders for thousands of years and right up to the present day!
Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators need access to abundant nectar and pollen resources throughout the growing season. At minimum, strive for three species to be blooming at any one time; the greater the diversity, the better. The links below will help you find the best plants for your garden. It is important to include flowers that bloom early in the spring to provide food for newly emerging bumble bee queens. Similarly, it is important to provide flowers that bloom in the late summer and fall to support new bumble bee queens for overwintering.
If you are adding plants to your garden, plant flowers in clumps at least three-feet-wide to help them be more attractive to passing pollinators. Choose native plants wherever possible, as they have evolved with native pollinators and the local environment. To attract butterflies, include their host plant in your pollinator gardenā¦
(CLICK ABOVE TO GET REGIONAL GUIDES TO POLLINATOR GUIDES)
PiraticOctopus 