Brunette Bugbane

Other Names: Black Snakeroot, Black Cohosh, Actaea racemosa

Description:

Beautiful chocolate-purple, fragrant foliage and long, airy upright spikes of white flowers; prefers moist, but well-drained soil; use this plant primarily for its wonderful contrasting leaves

Ornamental Features:

Brunette Bugbane is blanketed in stunning spikes of fragrant white flowers with shell pink overtones rising above the foliage from mid to late summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It's attractive deeply cut compound leaves emerge burgundy in spring, turning dark green in colour throughout the season. The brown fruits are carried on spikes from late summer right through to late winter.The deep purple stems are very effective and add winter interest.

Landscape Attributes:

Brunette Bugbane is an herbaceous perennial with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance perennial, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Brunette Bugbane is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• General Garden Use
• Mass Planting
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Container Planting

Plant Characteristics:

Brunette Bugbane will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It tends to be leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 feet from the ground, and should be underplanted with lower-growing perennials. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.

This perennial performs well in both full sun and full shade. It prefers to grow in moist to wet soil, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This plant can be propagated by division.

This is a selection of a native North American species.