Baneberry

A gorgeous plant in the buttercup family that looks more like a shrub than a perennial. Growing about 2' x 2' tall, this is a handsome plant with beautiful foliage and small, white flowers in spring. These blooms are followed by incredibly showy, vibrant scarlet berries. This is a beautiful plant for the shade garden, but can be slow to establish and dislikes disturbance.

Actaea rubra is native to the forests and woodlands of Canada and the northern United States. It is seldom cultivated in gardens. This is likely for two reasons; it is difficult to propagate and it is also extremely poisonous. Seeds are very difficult to germinate (it can take up to two years) and germination rates are very low. Although baneberry can be divided once it is mature, it is resentful of disturbance and frequently slow to establish. 

While all parts of this plant are considered toxic, it is the berries that are the most poisonous. If eaten, they cause vomiting, diarrhea, intense stomach cramps, and after that, heart failure and death. The berries are especially attractive to children, so we recommend you do not plant this if you have little kids. The probability of being poisoned is remote as the berries are fantastically bitter. Anyone who chews one is likely to spit it out before any real harm occurs but as any parent will tell you, kids don't always behave as we expect.

Baneberry likes a fertile, humus-rich soil that is moist but well drained. It does beautifully in partial to full shade and makes an excellent, low maintenance companion to ferns and hostas. It is very handsome and provides plenty of colour in mid to late summer, when many other things in the shade garden are well past their prime. 

It is important to note that baneberries are only poisonous to mammals; birds eat them with no issue.  Wildflower nurseries are slowly but surely starting to make this plant available for sale.