Red Baneberry
Actaea rubra
BUTTERCUP FAMILY (Ranunculaceae)
Identification
- Flowering time - May, June
- Rare in moist upland woods at FF and NW
- Showy cluster of white flowers with many 'spiky' stamens
- Leaves divided into groups of 3 leaflets
- Bright red berries
A bushy plant with large, highly divided leaves and a short, thick, rounded cluster of small white flowers in leaf axils or at stem ends. The branched, 1-3 ft. stems of this perennial have two or three large compound leaves, each divided into threes (B). The leaflets are deeply saw-toothed. The small white flowers in dense globular clusters are found above the leaves. The berries are red or rarely white and are on a slender stalk each containing 9-16 seeds. Each flower has 10 petals which tend to be squared at the tip. Our photo (A) of the flowers was taken after the petals have fallen off. The showy radiating structures are the remaining white stamens.
Marjorie Garabrandt, in her survey of native plants of Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods, lists this plant as rare at both sites. Unfortunately, the writer has never been fortunate enough encounter this rare species and the only photo we have is from a planted garden at Neale Woods which no longer exists. So keep an eye out for this lovely plant which is possible in moist, shady areas in the upland woods at both sites.
Flowering occurs in May and June.
The berries of Red Baneberry (and White Baneberry) are very poisonous if ingested and may affect the nervous system. European species have fatally poisoned children, but baneberries are not reported to have caused death to humans or livestock in the United States.
Other common names for this plant include Cohosh, Red Cohosh, Necklaceweed, Snakeberry, and doll’s eyes.
Native Americans of this area used a tea of the leaves for various medicinal purposes.
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