Ask-a-Dave's-Gardener: Monkshood mystery , 1 by dgoldenberg49

dgoldenberg49 wrote:
Good morning,


Last year I started incorporating various monkshood varieties in order to have an ongoing
Blue show over the summer. ( im in central PA, zone 6b,7a)
I’ve found this plant a bit frustrating at times.

What cultivars would you recommend for early to mid summer?
Have you been able to find the stainless steel variety? If so where?
Have you seen monkshoods plants “disappear”? I’ve read that they can be “ephemeral”, are “sometimes finicky about transplanting” as well as a story by my daughter in law who said in her moms garden they would disappear for a season or two??? Quite a few of my newly transplanted monkshood, seemingly healthy, just “ disappeared” a few month in while others didn’t???
Is this a known phenomenon and will they come back or do they need to be replaced?
Has anyone been successful in growing them from seeds? ( I’ve been uniformly unsuccessful
Using direct sow, indoor start and winter sow)

Thanks for you insight

Respectfully

David Goldenberg
Dgoldenberg49@gmail.com