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Image of bird and
butterfly magnet,
Cimicifuga racemosa or Actea racemosa
plant coming soon...
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Cimicifuga racemosa
(Actea racemosa, Black Bugbane, Black Cohosh, Black Snakeroot) |
Origin: Natve to the Eastern and Midwestern United States
Family: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup)
Origin: Native to India, Sri Lanka
Light:
Part shade
Height: 3-8'
Spread: 2-3'
Planting Depth: 1/4" deep, provide '" leaf mulch or hardwood bark to
keep moist
Blooms: Long, creamy white flower on tall, erect airy spike, in
Summer
Foliage: Deep green
with purple nodes, large, 3 pinnately compound divisions, leaflets are
irreglarly-toothed
Seedpods: Late Summer, semi-cicular, encapsulated seeds rattle
when mature
Soil: Well drained, rich, sandy, loamy, clayey with organic
compost added, keep moist
Water: Moderate
Propagation: Seeds (Sow immediately after harvest in the Fall,
germination takes 1-12 months, reqiures cold-warm-cold cycle), division
Uses: Background plant, woodland setting, herbal plant, sloppy
area, shady edges, filtered shade
Comments:
Cimicifuga racemosa
or Actea racemosa
or Black Bugbane or Black Cohosh or Black Snakeroot is an
ornamental looking herbal perennial. It is a polen and nectar-rich
source for pollinating insects and it attracts birds the Appalachian
blue and Spring Azure butterflies. The unusual floral scent of
Actea racemosa
repels bugs and fleas. It looks fascinating when grown in masses as an
understory plant where it will love the filtered shade of hardwood
trees. Grow
Black
Bugbane
in a raised bed of rich and
fertile composted well-drained soil. Since it takes a few years to
mature as a large plant, give
Black Cohosh sufficient room for growth.
Cimicifuga racemosa
makes wonderful woodland or background plants. There are many uses
for this herbal plant which has shown to have anti-inflammatoy
properties. The root of
Black
Snakeroot
has been used by North
American Indians as a traditional herbal medicine for treating certain
bodily ailments and for hormonal problems in females.
USDA Hardiness Zones : 3-8 |
