Monkshood is a perennial grown for its blooms, which open in summer and return year after year. It's hardy across USDA zones 3 through 7 and shrugs off deer. Its summer flowers are a moderate draw for native bees.
Zones
3-7
pH Range
---
Sun
Part Sun
Days to Maturity
---
Score Monkshood on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether monkshood actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score monkshood against your land's real conditions.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
No card required · your full report in seconds
What Monkshood is
Monkshood grows as a perennial and reaches around four feet at maturity. It blooms in summer. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Monkshood
Monkshood grows in USDA zones 3 through 7. Monkshood does best in part sun — at least 4 hours of direct sun a day, on well-drained ground.
USDA Zones
3-7
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
Data pending
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Part Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Mature Height
4 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
0+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant monkshood in part sun with at least 4 hours of direct sun.
Match the soil
Pull a soil test from your local Extension lab to confirm pH and drainage match monkshood's needs before planting.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at its peak
Cut monkshood blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — monkshood is toxic to dogs and cats and horses (lethal severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Monkshood offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators.
Where Monkshood thrives
Monkshood is hardy across USDA zones 3 through 7. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 3–7·Where Monkshood growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Monkshood can grow in these states:
See if Monkshood will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether monkshood actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Monkshood in my zone?
Monkshood grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 7 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Monkshood?
Time monkshood to your own season rather than the calendar. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Monkshood need?
Monkshood does well in partial sun — around 4 hours of direct sun, and it takes some afternoon shade in stride. That flexibility makes it a good match for a bed the house or a nearby tree shades for part of the day. A Growable Ground report maps how the sun actually falls on your land, hour by hour, so you can set it where the light lines up.
What soil does Monkshood need?
Specific pH data for monkshood is pending. It prefers well-drained ground. A soil test from your local Extension lab confirms what your site needs.
Does Monkshood attract pollinators?
Yes — monkshood's flowers are a solid nectar source for native bees.
Is Monkshood safe for pets?
Monkshood is toxic to pets (dogs,cats,horses) with lethal severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)