Aconite plant - description

Probably, there is not a single florist who would not be familiar with this beautiful tall plant. The leaves of aconite are dark green, very elegant, they can be lobate or palate-dissected. The peduncles of the aconite are elongated and terminate at an altitude of about two meters with beautiful brush-shaped inflorescences, which consist of very unusual flowers, painted in cold shades. These flowers resemble the helmets of warriors of ancient civilizations.

It is believed that the very name "aconite" comes from the name of the ancient Greek city of Acona. They say that it was there that he was first used to make medicines from the poison contained in the plant. According to another version of its name aconite plant, so popular in the Middle Ages, derived from the ancient Greek word for "arrow".

Aconite is a poisonous plant, and it has been known for a long time. After all, in ancient times, people sap their people with arrows, going hunting. And in Europe and the Middle East, large predators, for example wolves, were fed with meat poisoned with aconite. In ancient Rome, prisoners sentenced to execution were forced to drink a drink with a hood from aconite. There is a well-known historical reference to the fact that one day the soldiers of Mark Antony ate the rhizomes of the aconite and, dying, suffered later in terrible convulsions.

Aconite - a plant is really very poisonous, like many other representatives of the family of buttercups. This fact is confirmed also by the folk names of this plant, namely: wolf root, death-grass, wolf-goose and others. The ancient Greek myth of the eleventh feat of Hercules tells how he conquered the terrible dog Cerberus, guarding the underground kingdom of the dead, and delivered it to Mycenae. When Cerberus saw the white light, he covered with a cold sweat, and from the mouth of his dripped foam, which immediately turned into a deadly aconite.

In ancient Greece, the Haggoth Aconite was dedicated to the goddess of witchcraft Hecate. The legendary sorceress Medea used aconite in all her magic potions. The action of the aconite poison is so great that even the honey collected by the bees from this flower is extremely dangerous.

To date, aconite, whose flower is very rarely used in medicine because of its increased danger, is almost forgotten. But throughout the history of healing aconite has been actively used to treat various diseases. With the help of various infusions and broths from aconite treated neuralgia, laryngitis, trauma, a variety of types of skin diseases. In the Middle East, aconite was used as an antipyretic agent, as well as as a medicine for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Aconite helped with cramps, and also as an analgesic.

There are more than 300 species of this plant, distributed mainly in the northern hemisphere of the planet. In our latitudes there are about 50 species, many of which are used for decorative purposes.

It should be noted that aconite - the plant is frost-resistant and easily tolerates winter with little shelter or even without shelter. Aconite loves moderate humidity, does not require an abundance of sunlight. The soil for this plant should be rich in nutrients and well structured.

There are several ways of reproduction of Aconite. So, these plants reproduce by seeds, tubers, with the help of cuttings. Due to the partialization, the bush is often divided naturally.

This plant can be used both in group plantings and in single plants. Owners of flower beds often combine aconite with delphiniums, irises. Curly aconite - the plant is very attractive, which looks great when decorating grids.