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Herbaceous Perennial

Actaea simplex (Atropurpurea Group) 'Satin Darkness'

baneberry 'Satin Darkness'

A herbaceous perennial, to around 1.2m tall, with finely-divided, near-black leaves and scented, creamy-white bottlebrush-like flower spikes that fade to a pale pinkish colour in very late summer and early autumn. The flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies

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Ultimate height

1–1.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Clay

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Ranunculaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
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: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in cool, moist, moderately fertile soil, enriched with organic matter and mulched. Site in sun or dappled shade. Water thoroughly in dry weather

Propagation

Propagate by division in early spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut back after flowering or fruiting

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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