Description: Northern wild
monkshood grows from erect to reclining in form and up to 40 inches
tall. The flowers are blue and occasionally white. The leaves are
deeply parted.
Habitats and Habits: Northern wild monkshood is typically
found on shaded cliffs and talus slopes. These areas have cool to
cold soil conditions, cold air drainage or cold groundwater flowage.
These conditions maintain a modified microclimate with high humidity
levels and relatively constant temperatures. The northern wild
monkshood blooms between June and September in Iowa. Several species
of bumblebees are pollinators of the northern wild monkshood in
Iowa.
Distribution: Northern wild monkshood has a wild distribution
from northeastern Iowa and southwestern Wisconsin to northeastern
Ohio and New York. Although the species has a large geographic
distribution, it occurs at less than 100 locations. The majority of
the populations of this plant are located in Iowa and Wisconsin. In
Iowa, Northern wild monkshood is found in northeastern counties.
Conservation Efforts: Acquisition of the locations with
larger populations has been nearly completed by state, federal and
private conservation organizations. Monitoring studies of several
populations have been established and are continuing. Information
from these studies is being used to determine the status of each
population.
Reasons For Listing: Like the Iowa Pleistocene land snail,
destruction of habitat has reduced the population and number of
locations for this plant species.
Funding Provided
by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and
