VANDERMEER

PLANT LIBRARY

Find the perfect plant for your space by browsing through this extensive selection that we typically carry every year.

This library is for information purposes only.

 
perennial

Brunette Bugbane

Actaea racemosa 'Brunette'

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Brunette Bugbane (Actaea racemosa 'Brunette') at Vandermeer Nursery

Brunette Bugbane foliage

Brunette Bugbane foliage

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Plant Height:  24 inches

Flower Height:  4 feet

Spread:  3 feet

Sunlight:  partial shade  full shade 

Hardiness Zone:  4a

Other Names:  Black Snakeroot, Black Cohosh, Cimicifuga racemosa

Description:

Beautiful chocolate-purple, fragrant foliage and long, airy upright spikes of white flowers; prefers moist, but well-drained soil; use this plant primarily for its wonderful contrasting leaves

Ornamental Features

Brunette Bugbane is blanketed in stunning spikes of fragrant white flowers with shell pink overtones rising above the foliage from late summer to early fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its attractive deeply cut compound leaves emerge burgundy in spring, turning dark green in colour with showy burgundy variegation and tinges of dark brown throughout the season. The brown fruits are carried on spikes from late summer to late winter. The deep purple stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.

Landscape Attributes

Brunette Bugbane is an herbaceous perennial with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It is a good choice for attracting birds and bees to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Brunette Bugbane is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • General Garden Use
  • Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Brunette Bugbane will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity extending to 4 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 3 feet. It tends to be leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and should be underplanted with lower-growing perennials. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It prefers to grow in moist to wet soil, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This is a selection of a native North American species, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Massing  Garden  Naturalizing 
Applications
Flowers  Fruit  Foliage Color  Texture  Bark  Winter Value  Attracts Wildlife 
Ornamental Features

** Plants listed may not be in stock at all times. **

Please contact us directly for current stock availability.
 
Our inventory varies seasonally and we cannot guarantee that every plant will be in stock at all times. To confirm if we have the plant that you're looking for, please call (905) 427-2525 or e-mail  us at info@vandermeernursery.com.
 
Remember, this library does not include our entire selection. Visit us year-round to check out varieties that may not be listed here!