Baneberries
Botanical name: Actaea
Baneberries
Botanical name: Actaea
Description
The baneberries genus contains noxious perennials found in moist woodlands. The berries on these plants are highly poisonous to humans and rabbits. Birds are not affected by the toxins and help disperse the seeds of these plants. The berries resemble those of black bugbane, a close relative.
Species of Baneberries
Baneberry 'Pink Spike'
Baneberry 'Pink Spike' is a cultivar of Actaea simplex and gets its name from its tall spires of fluffy, fragrant pink flowers. Contrasting with the light flowers are the plant’s deep purple leaves, and with its height of up to 1.8 m, it adds an architectural dimension of height to your home garden. Gardeners love this plant as it flourishes in the shade and is resistant to (and can even repel) insects and slugs.
Baneberry 'Black Negligee'
Baneberry 'Black Negligee' is among the hardiest cultivars of Actaea simplex, which are all shade-loving and insect-resistant plants. This one gets its name from its dark leaves which are serrated and deeply lined to give them a lacy appearance. Contrasting with the black-purple leaves are stalks of showy, pale, sweet-smelling flowers. Its height of up to 1.8 m offers you an architectural dimension of height to your home garden.
Japanese bugbane
The japanese bugbane is an attractive plant with fluffy, white blossoms that are extremely ornamental but known for their unpleasant scent. This clump-forming perennial is popular in shady gardens but poses a threat to pets as the plants of the Actaea genus are considered poisonous to dogs and cats.
White baneberry
White baneberry (Actaea pachypoda) is a herbaceous perennial that can grow to be 30 to 61 cm tall. It blooms from spring to summer and has fragrant clusters of tiny white flowers. White baneberry blossoms smell like roses. Its berries and leaves are poisonous. This species grows best in partial shade.
Asian baneberry
The flowers are ranges from gray to white. The berries are black-purple.
Baneberry 'Brunette'
Baneberry 'Brunette' is a cultivar of Actaea simplex, and distinguishes itself with dark purple leaves. Its name is meant to refer to its leaf color, but is a little misleading as the leaves lose their brown coloring when they mature. With tall, fluffy white flowers blooming in late summer and early fall, and its height of up to 1.8 m, it adds an architectural dimension of height to your home garden and flourishes in the shade.
Baneberry 'James Compton'
Baneberry 'James Compton' is loved for its highly architectural appearance, with tall spikes adorned with pink blossoms that appear in late summer. It's a Baneberry variety within the Atropurpurea group, meaning it grows upright and has brownish-purple stems and foliage with striking spikes. It remains uncertain why this plant was given the name "James Compton".
Baneberry
Baneberry is a popular ornamental species, often planted in cottage and wildlife gardens, as well as borders, banks, and slopes. This perennial is toxic, so it should be handled with care and not ingested. Its creamy white flowers turn into black berries.
Black cohosh
Black cohosh is a perennial herb that is easy to grow in full or partial shade. Used in landscaping to add color and texture to leafy borders and shade gardens, it is highly aromatic and can be used to repel insects. The flower stalks of black cohosh will angle themselves toward bright light.
Baneberry
Baneberry produces pink-white flowers in late summer to early autumn. This late flourish is what gardeners love about the plant most. It is a poisonous plant that can cause severe harm if ingested. Baneberry's berries are especially lethal, hence the common name.
Red baneberry
Red baneberry, or Actaea rubra, is a small clumping plant that grows pretty white flowers in the spring followed by bright red berries summer. Although the plant is pretty in shade gardens, it is poisonous and should never be ingested.
Mountain bugbane
This wildflower grows tall and wide, producing long spikes of white flowers shaped like a bottle-brush. The distinctive, slightly unappealing odor of these blooms attracts flies to them. Mountain bugbane has been used as a protection against strong winds and takes awhile to get established, often taking as long as three years.
Siberian bugbane
The siberian bugbane genus contains noxious perennials found in moist woodlands. The berries on these plants are highly poisonous to humans and rabbits. Birds are not affected by the toxins and help disperse the seeds of these plants. The berries resemble those of black bugbane, a close relative.
Tall bugbane
Tall bugbane is a plant within the buttercup family that produces poisonous fruits and a foul odor. It grows in the understory of damp woodlands and is pollinated by bees, beetles, and hoverflies. Unfortunately, tall bugbane is considered an endangered species in British Columbia due to significant human impact on its habitat.
Scientific Classification
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