Wolfsbane, also known as aconite, monkshood, mousebane, pops, Cupid’s cap, flapdock, women’s bane, queen of poisons, devil’s helmet and blue rocket, belongs to the plant genus Aconitum; a group of plants which are all poisonous, with wolfsbane being one of the most toxic plants in the UK.
I haven’t managed to spot Aconitum napellus in the wild yet, but I did spy this Chinese aconite (Aconitum carmichaelii) at our local gardens, which I was really surprised to see! Isn’t she beautiful?
Serious poisoning by plants is rare in the UK, but the toxins of wolfsbane can enter the blood if protective clothing is not worn when handling. In 2014, a gardener in Hampshire, UK, died after brushing against it, which is extremely unusual, but shows the amount of care needed when handling these plants.
Aconite, along with other baneful herbs, is said to be a constituent of flying ointment, which is said to have been used by witches from the Late Middle Ages. This hallucinogenic ointment allowed the witches to astrally project; the witch’s consciousness “flying” off rather than their physical body.
Francis Bacon listed the ingredients of flying ointment as wolfsbane, “the fat of children digged out of their graves”, smallage (celery), cinquefoil (potentilla), and fine wheat (wheat flour).
Poisonous ingredients listed in flying ointments, past and present, include belladonna, henbane, mandrake, and hemlock.
Whilst I have a good general plant knowledge, I’m still learning about the baneful aspects of certain plants, and their history. One thing is for certain: baneful plants are absolutely beautiful.
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