Actaea spicata aka Baneberry

Actaea spicata belongs to the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. It is a herbaceous perennial: a plant whose soft growth dies back each year. Common names include baneberry and Herb Christopher. It is native from Europe to western Siberia and northern Iran. Britain also forms part of its native range. It grows in temperate regions, where the climate is mild. In the wild, it grows in ash woods on limestone. It also grows in damp woods with stony ground. These sites help explain its need for cool soil and shade.

The plant forms a leafy clump and sheds its leaves in winter. Garden plants reach about 1.6 feet (0.5 metres) tall and wide. The RHS gives a garden range of 0.3–1.6 feet (0.1–0.5 metres). Its divided leaves can reach 2 feet (0.6 metres) long. Small white flowers grow above the leaves in soft-looking, oval groups. It blooms from mid-spring into early summer. Black berries then form, each about 0.03 feet (0.01 metres) across. Leaves, blooms and fruit add interest at different times.

Choose part shade and cool soil that stays moist. The RHS says it can grow in full shade too. Plants For A Future favours light, patchy shade over deep shade. Choose a site with shelter, such as beds facing east or north. It grows in clay or loam. The soil can be acid, neutral or alkaline. Add organic matter if the soil needs it. Keep soil moist, but let spare water drain away. Plants under conifers may need water in very dry spells. The RHS gives it a cold rating of H7. Plants For A Future gives USDA zones 4–8.

Grow it in woodland beds or under shrubs and roses. It suits informal borders, banks and wildlife gardens too. Its small size helps it fit among other shade plants. The RHS lists few usual pest or disease problems. Plants reach full size in two to five years. Cut back growth once blooms fade or the berries finish. Sow seed in pots in a cold frame in autumn. Split well-grown clumps in early spring.

All parts are poisonous; the records list no edible uses. Do not treat the berries as food. The RHS says to wear gloves and clothes that protect the skin when handling plants. Plants For A Future records uses of the root as medicine. Those records do not mean the plant is safe from poisoning. It also records making black dye from berries with alum. Some claim the plant's scent drives vermin away. These claims do not prove that it helps in gardens.