PlantFiles: Black Cohosh, Black Snakeroot, Fairy Candles
Actaea racemosa

Variety racemosa (Black Bugbane) is native to most of the eastern half of the US and Canada. Endangered in Illinois and Massachusetts.

It took a few years before mine bloomed but now it's beautiful so be patient.

This perennial is native to our area.

Very easy, very attractive and fairly adaptable. I have about 40 square feet covered with it, and it only took about 6 years to get that large. As far as I can tell, it does not like direct sun. If it is getting any amount of sun, it takes extra water to keep it alive. The area where I have had the best luck is on the North side of our garage wall, where it gets bright, indirect sun and NO direct sun at all. Tree roots should dry the area out, but for some reason this soil is always moist and it is the last place to thaw in the spring, so it is almost always buried in a layer of ice until almost the end of March. It reseeds freely and seedlings can be moved easily. I have found that the seedlings do better than divisions. The smell is strong and peculiar--sweet, but hay-like, with a hint of freshly cooked corn tortillas. Strong smells are fairly rare in the ranunculaceae family. The only other one I know of is Thalictrum flavum, which has a similar smell. Bees love both of these and seem to be intoxicated as they plow through the fluffy flowers.

Received our plant as a division from a friend who had grown it for years: I have since divided the plant once in ten years, resulting in two small plants.

It has been given no special care and has grown fairly well in a shady location.

It is an attractive plant even without the flower spikes. The fragrance, however is not pleasant to me. On first detecting it in the garden, I thought someone was nearby smoking pot.

I have just recently purchased a "Black Snakeroot" from a local greenhouse here in Maine. I thought it was so unique. It is very tall and thin so I hope it will withstand the wind and Maine winters. I have transplanted it in shade near the house.

Plant takes ideal conditions for it to survive; very deep organic-enriched loam is perfect for it. Will not survive in standing water, but quickly dies if it dries out.

Flowers are extremely fragrant; very sweet aroma. Many people cannot tolerate the smell; others find it very pleasant. A large stand of plants will fill the air with its smell for a long distance.

Foliage is lacy and very elegant.

Species has medium green leaves; there are dark and bronze cultivars available.