Size
Ultimate height
1.5–2.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
1–1.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | White | Green | ||
| Autumn | White | Green | ||
| Winter |
Position
- Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or North–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H7Botanical details
- Family
- Ranunculaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Potentially harmful
- Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
- Genus
Actaea are rhizomatous herbaceous perennials with compound leaves and small creamy-white flowers in short, erect, simple or branched terminal racemes, followed either by poisonous red, black or white berries, or by star-shaped clustered brown follicles
- Name status
Correct
- Plant range
- Asia
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in cool, moist, humus-rich soil that doesn't dry out, in partial shade. Ideal for a woodland garden or a shaded herbaceous or mixed border
Propagation
Propagate by seed, sown when ripe in containers in a cold frame or in a nursery bed in autumn, or by division in early spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Cottage and informal garden
- Wildlife gardens
- Low Maintenance
- Cut flowers
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
Generally pest-free
Diseases
Generally disease-free
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.