Actaea racemosa

Sizes available: 2 quart

Basics: zones 3-7,  48-72" x 48", part shade, white bloom in July-August, soil fairly heavy, acid-neutral, somewhat adaptable but prefers consistent moisture and 2-3 hours of morning sun

Synonym: Cimicifuga racemosa

Common names: Black Cohosh, Black Bugbane, Black Snakeroot, Rattle-top, Fairy Candle

Family: Ranunculaceae

Origin/Distribution: eastern North America. Not native to Maine, but a garden escapee in parts of New England

Habitat: Deciduous woodland openings, rich and moist, but adaptable

More: Nectar for pollinators! Black Cohosh is fragrant, although its scent is not to everyone's liking, and makes a good cut flower. It is an herbaceous, architectural perennial that is a charismatic understory connector between lower layers and woodland shrubs. The plant has numerous medicinal properties, including the treatment of menopausal symptoms. It is a larval host for Celastrina ladon (Spring Azure) and Celastrina argiolus (Holly Blue). This northeastern native is not native to Maine, but is naturalizing in southern Maine. It prefers a few hours of morning sun or a dappled woodland.

Nursery: Honey Petal Plants

Image credits, in order of appearance: Inflorescence by H. Zell through Creative Commons; Wikimedia Commons; Growth Habit (in quite a bit of sun!) by H. Zell through Creative Commons; Wikimedia Commons; Seedheads by H. Zell through Creative Commons. All of H. Zell's images are on the North Carolina Extension Gardeners Plant Toolbox