Friday, September 16, 2011

Wolfsbane

.

Photobucket
This is Monkshood. It is also known as Wolfsbane.



Photobucket
It grows wild in the northwest arctic region of Alaska.



Photobucket
It is very beautiful....and very poisonous.

.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is a very beautiful flower, is it poisonous to touch?
what are it's side effects? rash? itch or something else?

gramma2many said...

It is beautiful. Same questions as Miz Liz, you gotta tell us:)

Allmycke said...

In 1792 a Carl Fredrik Hoffberg wrote "The root pulverised or a decoction thereof, will kill wolves,flies and vermin living on walls and among all kinds of critters."
I don't think the stems, leaves or flowers are poisonous - but I do know that neither sheep nor cows will eat them. The same goes for buttercups - the cows will graze on every straw around thembut leave the buttercups.

alaskapi said...

A variety of sources claim that handling the plants will result in similar poisoning , especially if skin abrasions are present, to ingestion- though on a lesser scale.
There is a history of use as an anathestic in herbal lore- with many careful descriptions about the narrow line between poisoning and efficacy.
I very much enjoy seeing our beautiful wild monkshood but am very careful with handling it's cultivated cousins in my garden.

Becky said...

A beautiful flower.