This species is probably the closest Indian species to the European Aconitum napellus[].

Common Name:

General Information

Aconitum soongaricum is a herbaceous perennial plant with an erect, unbranched stem up to 70cm tall. The stem grows from a biennial tuberous root that produces a new tuber each year, the old tuber dying after the plant flowers[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local medicinal use.

Known Hazards

The root is strongly poisonous to livestock[].
The aconites have been of interest since ancient times because they contain diterpene alkaloids that range from relatively nontoxic to deadly poisonous. In various parts of the world they have been used medicinally and as a source of poisons throughout history. The use of Aconitum alkaloids in modern Western medicine was largely discontinued by the late 1930's and early 1940's, though the roots are still widely used in traditional medicine, especially in Asia[, ].

Botanical References

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Range

C. Asia to the Himalayas.

Habitat

Mountain slopes and riverbanks in the alpine zone[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.50 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Grows best in a moist, humus-rich soil in partial shade, succeeding in full sun so long as the soil does not become dry[].
All Aconitum species are prohibited for export in India if the plants have been collected from the wild. Cultivated specimens can be exported from India[].
Members of this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits and deer[].
A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby species, especially legumes[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Although poisonous, the root is used medicinally[].
The Kirgiz and Uzbek peoples use the name 'parpi' or 'kara-parpi' for a black medicinal substance extracted from the roots[].

The root has a brown flesh with a faintly sweetish, bitter flavour followed by a very slight tingling sensation[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[]. The seed can be stratified and sown in spring but will then be slow to germinate[]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer.
Division - best done in spring but it can also be done in autumn[, ]. 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[].