by Leslie Cox; Monday; April 7, 2025

The word I selected this week is carmichaelii, (pronounced car-mih-KEE-lee-eye), mainly because I wrote out a bunch of name labels for some Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’ plant divisions I potted up recently.

The name for this particular species of Aconitum is in honour of the English medical doctor and plant collector, Dr. John R. Carmichael (d. 1877), who discovered the plant in central China.

The ‘Arendsii’ in this plant’s name points to it being the result of a cross between Aconitum carmichaelii and Aconitum carmichaelii var. wilsonii.

Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’ is also referred to as Arendsii Group because there can be some variability in the plants. But many may know this plant by one of its common names: Carmichael’s monkshood, Chinese aconite or Chinese wolfsbane.

(Note: This beautiful grouping of Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’ was photographed on October 1st in our garden.)