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Actaea racemosa Linnaeus. Section: Actaea. Common Black-cohosh, Early Black-cohosh. Phen: May-Aug. Hab: Rich cove forests, other mesic and moderately to very fertile forests. Dist: Primarily Appalachian: w. MA south to SC and c. GA, but extending e. into the Coastal Plain and west to OH, IN, MO, and AR.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: Var. dissecta appears to be a sporadically occurring form, apparently always occurring in small numbers associated with typical material; McCoy (2004) reports its collection in NC.

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, K3, K4, Mi, NE, NY, Pa, Va; = Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt. – C, F, FNA3, Il, RAB, S, S13, Tat, Tn, W; > Actaea racemosa L. var. dissecta (A.Gray) J.Compton – K1, Compton, Culham, & Jury (1998); > Actaea racemosa L. var. racemosa – K1, Compton, Culham, & Jury (1998); < Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt. – G, (also see C. rubifolia); >< Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt. var. cordifolia (Pursh) Gray – F, misapplied in part; > Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt. var. racemosa – F

Links to other floras: = Cimicifuga racemosa - FNA3

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Heliophily ⓘ: 3

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image of plant© Will Stuart | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Grant Morrow Parkins | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Grant Morrow Parkins | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Edwin Bridges | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect, rhizomatous perennial found in clearings in rich woods, usually on base-rich soils.

Stems: Stems simple, smooth.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, large and horizontal, 2-3 times ternately divided into 20-70 sharply pointed and coarsely toothed leaflets.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers in a tapering, erect spike, to 1 ft. long, on a tall, leafless, sometimes branched stalk held above foliage; white, to 1/2 in. wide, with 5 sepals that drop early, numerous bushy white stamens and a single style; flowers open in succession upward, so raceme remains in bloom for 2 weeks or more.

Fruits: Fruit an oval, firm-walled follicle.

Comments: Flowers attract pollinators with a sour, musky smell.

Height: 3-8 ft.

plant sale text: Perfect for the back of a shade border or woodland garden, this native perennial develops overtime into a mound of dense, compound foliage accented by tall wand-like white blossoms in mid-to-late summer. The flowers attract pollinators with a sour, musky smell. Actaea racemosa blooms earlier than its cousins in the genus Actaea and prefers rich, humusy, moisture-retentive soil. Its leaves will scorch if the soil is allowed to dry out too much. This is an excellent pollen and nectar source for pollinators.

bloom table text:

description: Erect, rhizomatous perennial found in clearings in rich woods, usually on base-rich soils.

stems: Stems simple, smooth.

leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, large and horizontal, 2-3 times ternately divided into 20-70 sharply pointed and coarsely toothed leaflets.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers in a tapering, erect spike, to 1 ft. long, on a tall, leafless, sometimes branched stalk held above foliage; white, to 1/2 in. wide, with 5 sepals that drop early, numerous bushy white stamens and a single style; flowers open in succession upward, so raceme remains in bloom for 2 weeks or more.

fruits: Fruit an oval, firm-walled follicle.

comments: Flowers attract pollinators with a sour, musky smell.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: eastern North America