The monkshoods are good perennials, slowly forming multi-stemmed plants. Some are tall species, and at the other extreme there are dwarf, high-altitude alpines. All have spikes of characteristic hooded flowers.

Aconitum hemsleyanum is one of the climbing species, making more stems each year. They climb up neighbouring shrubs and then produce their clusters of up to 10 large, deep purple-blue flowers, with the typical monkshood shape.