Actaea racemosa

BLACK SNAKEROOT

Actaea racemosa
BLACK SNAKEROOT

Actaea racemosa bears fragrant white flowers, in striking long heads, like soft fluffy bottlebrushes.

Fragrant fuzzy white spires

It catches both the eye and the nose in summer and autumn, when the flower spires tower up on 120-180cm. elegant stems.

Excellent scented cut flowers

These also make excellent cut flowers with an entrancing scent in a vase.

Traditional herbal medicine

The common name of Black Snakeroot comes from both the appearance and the traditional use of the roots.
The dark roots of the underground rhizomes do look a little like mini black snakes.
The First Nations native American peoples, as well as the early European settlers who learnt from them, harvested, dried and treasured rhizomes for use in herbal medicine.
Black Snakeroot had a fine reputation in the treatment of “ladies problems” and gut disorders, amongst other things.

Pretty finely divided foliage

Black Snakeroot also has pretty, finely divided foliage.
So it makes a very appealing perennial clump for a shaded garden, giving beautiful flower displays for both garden and vase, as well as lovely scent, and attractive foliage.
And then in autumn the handsome leaves give a vivid butter yellow autumn display.

Perfect under trees & shrubs

Plant Actaea racemosa in Shade to ½ Shade.
Black Snakeroot really enjoys a position under trees and shrubs, as this mimics their native habitat in the deciduous woodlands of North America.

Tolerates clay soil

Happily they can also tolerate clay soils, and are an excellent choice for gardeners with heavy soil which may become waterlogged at times. But they do not require heavy soil to thrive.
They delight in any well composted garden soil, and enjoy summer mulch.
Black Snakeroot is well served by its tough, robust rhizome, which can forage well for water and nutrients, and survive the tough times.

Frost hardy perennial clump

Actaea racemosa is a frost hardy, perennial clump.
It is also a low maintenance plant, with the only work being to cut the whole plant back to the socks after autumn, mulch for summer, and enjoy the lovely flowers.

SEED SOWING ADVICE:

Scatter seeds directly in the garden in autumn or winter / or sow at any time indoors in punnets.

Indoors for early plants: Sow seed in punnets on surface of good quality seed raising mix.
Cover to 6mm depth with seed mix or vermiculite.

Moisten the mix by placing the punnet in a water bath, with the water level below the surface of the punnet, and allow the water to percolate up from the bottom. This will ensure the mix is thoroughly moist but not drenched.

Label the punnet with the name and date sown.

For best germination place in a well lit position (but not in any direct sunlight).
Continue to keep moist in approx. 25C for 14 days.
(An electronic heat bed is ideal but not essential)

Then wrap the moist punnet in cling-wrap and place in fridge (not freezer) for 3 months.
This breaks the seeds natural winter dormancy.
Now remove from the fridge, unwrap punnet, and keep moist in a well lit position at approx. 25C. for seeds to sprout.
Seeds need light to germinate (but do not place in any direct sunlight).

Outdoors: Or sow seeds directly in garden in autumn/winter and leave to get the required winter chilling from nature, before germinating in spring.

Seed Count: 40 seeds per packet approximately.
(We always aim to make our seed counts on the generous side – so you receive a generous serve)

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