Aconitum napellus - Aconit napel

Habitat

Exposition

Plein soleil ou mi-ombre

Humidité

Humidité moyenne.

Sol

Tous sols. Tolère les sols très argileux.

pH

Sol acide ou calcaire

Rusticité

Zone 6

Habitat originel

Damp shady places and moist rich meadows in southern Wales and south-western England[7, 13, 31, 165, 176]. It is usually found in calcareous soils[9].

Origine géographique

Most of Europe, including Britain, east to N. W. Asia and the Himalayas.

Dangers connus

• The whole plant is highly toxic, acting especially on the nerve centres .
• At first it stimulates the central and peripheral nervous system and then paralyzes it .
• Other symptoms of poisoning include a burning sensation on the tongue, vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhoea .
• Simple skin contact with the plant has caused numbness in some people [4, 7, 9, 10, 14, 19, 65, 76, 244].
• The root contains 90% more poison than the leaves [232].

Comestibilité

• Some reports suggest the root is edible if cooked[2, 177], but these should be treated with extreme caution due to the highly toxic nature of the plant [K].

Usages médicinaux

• Aconite has been used since ancient times, especially as an antidote to poisoning [244].
• Since the entire plant is itself very toxic, however, any use should be under the guidance of a skilled practitioner [4].
• All parts of the plant are used medicinally .
• The root is the most important and this is harvested as soon as the plant dies down in the autumn and is dried before use [4].
• The other parts of the plant are less important and are used fresh, being harvested when the plant is coming into flower [4].
• The root is analgesic, anodyne, antirheumatic, diaphoretic, diuretic, irritant and sedative [4, 7, 9, 165, 200].
• Due to its poisonous nature, it is not normally used internally though it has been used in the treatment of fevers [200].
• Externally, it is applied to unbroken skin in the treatment of rheumatism, painful bruises, neuralgia etc [200, 254].
• All parts of the plant, except the root, are harvested when the plant is in flower and used to make a homeopathic medicine [232].
• This is analgesic and sedative and is used especially in the treatment of fevers, inflammation, bronchitis, neuralgia etc [9, 232].

Culture

• Thrives in most soils and in the light shade of trees [1].
• Pousse bien dans les sols très argileux .
• Prefers a moist soil in sun or semi-shade [200].
• Plants only thrive in a sunny position if the soil remains moist throughout the growing season [238].
• Prefers a calcareous soil .
• Tolerates a pH in the range 4.5 to 7.5 .
• Plants take 2 - 3 years to flower when grown from seed [244].
• Grows well in open woodlands [1, 4].
• The flowers are very attractive to bees [244].
• Members of this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits and deer [233].
• Although the plant is a perennial, individual roots only live for one year and die after flowering .
• Each root produces a number of 'daughter' roots before it dies and these can be used for propagating the plant [4].
• A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby species, especially legumes [54].
• An aggregate species which is divided by some botanists into many species [17, 76].

Propagation

• Graine - le mieux est de semer dès qu'elles sont mûres sous un chassis [111].
• The seed can be stratified and sown in spring but will then be slow to germinate [133].
• When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter .
• Plantez les en extérieur à la fin du printemps ou au début de l'été .
• Division - best done in spring but it can also be done in autumn [1, 111].
• Another report says that division is best carried out in the autumn or late winter because the plants come into growth very early in the year [233].