Aconitum ID

[TheOnionMan]

I was given a fall blooming Aconitum by a local "garden club" acquaintance.  It grows about 4' (120 cm) or more, just starting to flower now.  I'm being lazy, hoping that someone will know what species this might be.  Two photos, the flowers, and the foliage + buds. With my hand in the first photo, you'll get an idea about how large the flowers are, they're big.

[Maggi Young]

 A most attractive aconitum. Does it seem to have a semi-scrambling habit?

The biggest monkshood flowers I can think of are those of various A. variegatum types which do have some later blooming  sorts........ but of  course the foliage of yours is much less divided than those.

Today, when reading the Blog of Forumist Zephirine I saw that s he features another pretty monkshood.... which appears to be Aconitum japonicum (Ushiyama et al., 1989)
 and it may well be a pointer to your large flowered plant.
Very useful to have such great flowers in a late blooming plant.

http://zephirine38.over-blog.com/

[TheOnionMan]

Thanks Maggi, I'll give it a look later on tonight, off shortly here to spend the day with my elderly mom.

The plant has a perfectly upright habit, so not a scrambler.   

[Maggi Young]

 Zeph says that she was told the plant had a tendency to have a scrambling habit, which she hasn't been aware of! I think that's a red herring 
Have a good day with your Mom.