woodland wildflower

Columbian Monkshood

Aconitum columbianum

Native to the Pacific Coast, the Southwest, and the Rockies and southern Canada

Light Full shade Sun tolerance
Moisture Moist Moisture preference
Zones 2–9 Cold to heat range
Bloom Jul–Aug Flowering time
Height up to 6 ft to 1.8 m
Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial

In the garden

A woodland wildflower for full shade and evenly moist soil. At up to 6 ft, it needs room in shade gardens and woodland edges. Hardy in USDA zones 2–9.

Growing conditions

Light

Full sun Partial shade Full shade

Moisture

Dry Moist Wet

Hardiness zones

Find your zone:

Pollinators & wildlife

Bees Black-tailed Bumble Bee

also Bombus fervidus, Red-belted Bumble Bee, Fuzzy-Horned Bumble Bee +7 more
Two-form Bumble Bee, Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee, Great Basin Bumble Bee, Yellowish Cuckoo Bumble bee, White-shouldered Bumble Bee, Western Bumble Bee, Van Dyke's Bumble Bee

Full plant details

Where it grows

Habitat: WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
Native range: The Pacific Coast, the Southwest, and the Rockies and southern CanadaUnited States (13): AZ, CA, CO, IA, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY. Canada (1): BC. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.

Growing conditions

Light: Full shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
Moisture: MoistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
Hardiness zones: USDA 2–9 · Canadian 1–8The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
Soil: Moist, rich soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
Soil texture: Light to heavy (sandy to clay)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
Soil pH: 5.4–7.2The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Soil quality: MediumHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
Water use: HighHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
Salinity tolerance: NoneHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance: MediumHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.

Growth & form

Height: up to 6 ft (to 1.8 m)Typical mature height.
Life cycle: PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
Growth rate: ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
Shape: ErectIts overall silhouette.
Root depth: 10+ in (25+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.

Flowers, foliage & fruit

Type: WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
Bloom: Jul–AugWhen it flowers.
Flower color: Blue, PurpleThe bloom color, or colors.
Toxicity: None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.

Propagation & seed

Cold stratification: Not requiredWhether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
Propagation: Container, seedHow to start new plants.
Seed spread rate: ModerateHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
Seedling vigor: MediumHow strongly young seedlings establish.
Vegetative spread: NoneWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.